Field Evaluation of Ukrainian Potato Varieties for Resistance to Fungal and Bacterial Pathogens in the Polissya Area of Ukraine

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the field resistance of Ukrainian potato varieties to fungal and bacterial pathogens under natural infectious conditions in the Polissya area of Ukraine. Field experiments were conducted during 2020-2022 to examine the manifestation and spread of fungal and bacterial diseases on 20 Ukrainian potato varieties across different maturity groups. Varieties were evaluated for resistance to Alternaria blight, Rhizoctonia solani, Common scab (Streptomyces spp.), and Fusarium dry rot using predefined scales. The Ukrainian potato varieties Aria, Khortytsia, Kniahynia, Myroslava, Shchedryk, and Slovianka displayed field resistance to Alternaria blight. The varieties Charunka, Feia, Khortytsia, Okolytsia, and Shchedryk showed field resistance to R. solani. The varieties Aria, Okolytsia, Skarbnytsia, Strumok, and Slovianka were highly resistant to Common scab in field conditions, while Anika, Aria, Charunka, Kimmeria, Letana, Slovianka, Shchedryk, and Tyras exhibited field resistance to Fusarium dry rot. Twelve out of 20 potato varieties displayed field resistance to multiple pathogens with five of them (Aria, Charunka, Khortytsia, Slovianka, and Shchedryk) being resistant to the majority of pathogens under investigation. These varieties hold promise for integration into cropping systems with reduced fungicide usage. Additionally, these varieties can be recommended for inclusion in breeding programs as valuable sources of resistance to these fungal and bacterial pathogens. Future research should focus on elucidating the genetic basis of resistance in these varieties and further exploring the nature of inheritance of the observed resistance from the parental forms, that include the varieties Bellarosa, Beloruskyi 3, Bahriana, Slovianka, Oberih, Lyu, Meve, Kondor, Tyras and Barylchykha, and the hybrids 86.281c12, KE 78.50.53, 77.583/16, and P.88.12-11.