Abstract
Over the past decades, two new strains of potato virus Y (PVYN-Wi (Wilga) and PVYNTN) have been the most widely distributed worldwide in potato crops (Solanum tuberosum L.). Effective resistance genes comprehensive against all the known strains of the virus are available in some commercial cultivars. However, not all resistance genes in cultivars have been challenged by the new PVY strains to confirm effectiveness of the resistances available. This study was set to identify PVY resistant genotypes and estimate yield losses in potato cultivars in Kenya. PVYN-Wi was used for PVY resistance screening because it was the most prevalent strain in Kenya and also was found to produce more severe infection in Kenyan potato genotypes compared with PVYO (the second most prevalent strain). Three cultivars, Kenya Karibu, Sherekea and Unica, were identified as resistant because they did not get PVY infections over three seasons of both greenhouse and field screening experiments. In addition, two early generation breeding clones were identified as resistant at 28 days post-inoculation. In susceptible cultivars Dutch Robyjn, Nyayo and Kenya Mpya, PVYN-Wi infection caused yield losses of 21.6, 39.0 and 53.1%, respectively, after three seasons. This study demonstrated the necessity to screen for PVY resistance based on the most prevalent PVY strains and to make an informed decision on the usefulness of current levels of resistance in potato cultivars.
Highlights
Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is the world’s fourth most important food after wheat, rice and maize
Seven potato cultivars were inoculated in a screen-house sap inoculation experiment with PVYN-Wi infected plants (Wi) and compared with the same set of cultivars inoculated with PVYO
Cultivar Shangi was infected with PVYN-Wi but not PVYO based on the ELISA test
Summary
Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is the world’s fourth most important food after wheat, rice and maize. Prevalence of PVYN and PVYO has been declining, while on the other hand, prevalence of over 10 newer PVY strains has been increasing. Of these PVYNTN (PVY-N Tuber Necrosis) and PVYN-Wi (PVY-N Wilga) are of most concern because they are the most widespread and cause yield losses in potato crop around the world (Crosslin et al 2006; Lorenzen et al 2006; Singh et al 2008; Karasev and Gray 2013; Green et al 2017)
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