Combination Breeding and Marker-Assisted Selection to Develop Late Blight Resistant Potato Cultivars

Mariya P Beketova,Nadezhda M Zoteyeva,Emil E Khavkin,Polina E Drobyazina,Elena V Rogozina,Ingo Hein,Miles Armstrong,Mariya A Kuznetsova,Nadezhda A Chalaya,Alena A Gurina

doi:10.3390/agronomy11112192

Abstract

(1) Background: Although resistance to pathogens and pests has been researched in many potato cultivars and breeding lines with DNA markers, there is scarce evidence as to the efficiency of the marker-assisted selection (MAS) for these traits when applied at the early stages of breeding. A goal of this study was to estimate the potential of affordable DNA markers to track resistance genes that are effective against the pathogen Phytophthora infestans (Rpi genes), as a practical breeding tool on a progeny of 68 clones derived from a cross between the cultivar Sudarynya and the hybrid 13/11-09. (2) Methods: this population was studied for four years to elucidate the distribution of late blight (LB) resistance and other agronomical desirable or simple to phenotype traits such as tuber and flower pigmentation, yield capacity and structure. LB resistance was phenotypically evaluated following natural and artificial infection and the presence/absence of nine Rpi genes was assessed with 11 sequence-characterized amplified region (SCAR) markers. To validate this analysis, the profile of Rpi genes in the 13/11-09 parent was established using diagnostic resistance gene enrichment sequencing (dRenSeq) as a gold standard. (3) Results: at the early stages of a breeding program, when screening the segregation of F1 offspring, MAS can halve the workload and selected SCAR markers for Rpi genes provide useful tools.

Highlights

A potato cultivar is typically developed through a combination of breeding and selection of progeny clones from a cross of two parents that complement each other in as many valuable traits as possible
The 13/11-09 clone of an interspecific hybrid was bred at the Institute of Plant Protection, Leningrad, by selecting from the progeny resulting from the pollination of an F2 plant from S. pinnatisectum k-17464 × Gitte cross with a pollen mixture from hybrids with high late blight (LB) resistance [3]
The appearance of plants with new combinations of genes is confirmed by the molecular genetic analysis resulting in the identification of two hybrids carrying marker fragments of LB resistance genes of both parents: Rpi-R2, Rpi-R3a, Rpi-R3b, Rpi-blb1 and Rpi-vnt1

Summary

Introduction

A potato cultivar is typically developed through a combination of breeding and selection of progeny clones from a cross of two parents that complement each other in as many valuable traits as possible. In the Russian breeding centers, interspecific hybrids obtained by sexual hybridization using wild and cultivated potato relatives have been used as donors of resistance traits [1,2]. Resistance to late blight (LB) caused by the oomycete pathogen Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary is among the priority requirements to modern potato cultivars. Cultivated and wild potato accessions from the VIR (N.I. Vavilov Institute of Plant Genetic Resources) were utilized in breeding interspecific hybrids with a pyramid of up to six Rpi genes; when tested under the various soil and climate conditions; many of these hybrids maintained high LB resistance for over a decade [3]

Methods

Results

Conclusion