International Potato Center Research Articles

Collection and Evaluation of Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Potato Landraces and Varieties in China.

China is the world’s leading country for potato production but potato is not native to China. To gain insights into the genetic diversity of potato germplasm various studies have been performed but no study has been reported for potato landraces in China. To improve the available genepool for future potato breeding programs, a diverse population containing 292 genotypes (including foreign elite lines, local landraces and cultivars) was developed and genotyped using 30 SSR markers covering the entire potato genome. A total of 174 alleles were detected with an average of 5.5 alleles per locus. The model-based structure analysis discriminated the population into two main sub-groups, which can be further subdivided into seven groups based on collection sites. One sub-group (P1) revealed less genetic diversity than other (P2) and contained a higher number of commercial cultivars possibly indicating a slight reduction in diversity due to selection in breeding programs. The P2 sub-group showed a wider range of genetic diversity with more new and unique alleles attained from wild relatives. The potato landraces, clustered in sub-population P1 may be derived from historical population imported from ancient European and International Potato Center genotypes while sub-population P2 may be derived from modern populations from International Potato Center and European genotypes. It is proposed that in the first step, the potato genotypes were introduced from Europe to China, domesticated as landraces, and then hybridized for modern cultivars.

The Agronomy of Mauka (Mirabilis expansa (Ruíz & Pav.) Standl.) - A Review

The Andean region is the centre of origin and domestication of at least 9 species of native root and tuber crops in addition to several species of native potatoes. Within this group, Mauka – also known as Miso or Taso ‒ (Mirabilis expansa Ruíz & Pav.) Standl. ‒ Nyctaginaceae) is one of the least well known, despite having much potential. It is cultivated at high altitudes (2300 to 3500 m a.s.l.) in Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia and is thought to be of pre-Inca origin. Mauka is characterized by its high nutritional value due to substantial levels of protein, calcium and phosphorus, as well as secondary metabolites with nutraceutical properties of varied application. It also has good potential as a forage plant. Based on ethnobotanical knowledge and scientific investigations, this review presents advances in the agronomic understanding of Mauka since its discovery five decades ago in several isolated rural Bolivian communities. The information presented covers both Andean and non-Andean countries. It includes results from journals on natural resources, botany, agronomy, and the congress minutes from botanical, agronomic and phytogenetic resources conferences. Theses on Mauka specifically and on phytogenetic resources in general were also reviewed. Books and manuals were reviewed in the libraries of the International Potato Center, INIAP-Ecuador, INIA-Peru and universities. The plant is described with emphasis on its agronomic traits and according to its propagation forms (seed or vegetative); in terms of its agroecology, phenology, growth dynamics and their indices, crop management, harvest and post-harvest processes. It is concluded that important advances in the understanding of the agronomy of Mauka have been accomplished. Furthermore, the review highlights aspects requiring further research, in order to develop improved production technologies to ensure its future use and conservation.

Human and Technical Dimensions of Potato Integrated Pest Management Using Farmer Field Schools: International Potato Center and Partners’ Experience With Potato Late Blight Management

Abstract In the 1990s, the integrated pest management (IPM) team for potato late blight (IPM-late blight) at the International Potato Center (CIP) began to address the management of this complex potato disease by combining crop protection with social and behavioral sciences. Since the early 2000s, the team has worked with research and development organizations in countries in Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and South America to develop farmer discovery-based learning methods using farmer field schools (FFS). The principles of late blight control were more visible and understood by farmers when they could test options for managing late blight, particularly new potato clones with resistance to the disease, for themselves. CIP and partners have since adapted an approach combining FFS and participatory research to facilitate farmers’ access to information, knowledge, and technologies. Several manuals to implement FFS-IPM-late blight with farmers were subsequently developed. Results indicated that farmers using this approach learned new knowledge, assessed new potato clones, and changed crop management practices. Hence farmers realized a 32% average increase in potato productivity and income in Peru; similar changes occurred in other countries. The participatory research and training approach had a significant impact beyond IPM-late blight. In Peru and Bolivia, for example, more than 2,000 FFS were implemented between 2005 and 2012 on IPM for potato, other crops (coffee, cocoa, fruit trees), and livestock. In Uganda and Ethiopia, the experience expanded to potato seed management with the formation of seed cooperatives. Lessons have been drawn from this experience.

Assessing Factors Influencing Farmers Adoption of Improved Potato Varieties in Malawi

Cultivation of improved varieties is one way of increasing productivity of many crops especially in developing countries where there is pressure of land due to high population growth. Adoption studies have proved to be helpful in giving the picture of the performance of technologies amongst users like farmers and in line with this the study was carried out to assess the factors that influence a farmer to adopt improved potato varieties using cross-sectional data that was collected from 300 households by the International Potato Center (CIP) in 2013. The study used a Hurdle Poisson model to effectively assess the socio-economic and demographic characteristics that influence farmers to adopt improved potato varieties. The results of the study show that amongst the household socio-economic characteristics that were included in the model, age of the household head and farm size were significant at 5 percent level of significance whilst access to information through extension agents and distance to the market were the institutional factors that significantly influence a farmer. The results further show that the variety characteristics that were significant in influencing adoption of improved potato varieties included high yield, early maturity and larger tuber size that were preferred variety characteristics. Results of the decision on how many potato varieties individual farmer decides to grow shows that age of the household head, access to information and varieties that are high yielding had a significant influence. To increase adoption of recommended potato production practices, it was recommended that extension agents should be well involved in disseminating these production practices by using open field days, demonstration and control plots to encourage farmers to adopt the production practices. Secondly, the study also recommended that Government and other stakeholders need to also invest in extension service in sensitizing potato farmers in key potato production areas especially on production practices that have potential to increase level of adoption as well as farmer’s productivity and income.

Parental Value for Tuber Yield in Potato Under High Temperature Environments in Climate Change Conditions

AbstractPotato crop is expanding to areas with temperatures higher than those required. Climate change is increasing temperatures in traditional areas of potato production, thereby affecting tuber yield. The International Potato Center has developed a population adapted to these new conditions, being more tolerant to high temperatures, resistant to late blight, virus PVX and/or PVY and early maturity. In breeding programs it is very important to know the parental value of the progenitors. The parental value of 34 selected potato clones was determined through general combining ability for marketable, total yield and average tuber weight under high temperatures. Using the line by tester mating design, the potato clones were crossed as lines and varieties Katahdin, Huagalina and clones CIP398098.204 and CIP302533.31 as testers. The field experiments were carried out in three locations in Peru: San Ramon, La Molina and Majes, where average temperatures at night were between 15.25 to 21.65°C, and during the day fluctuated between 21.47 to 27.20°C. We used a randomized complete block design, with three replications. At harvest the number and weight of marketable and non-marketable tubers were taken. Then the average tuber weight, marketable and total yield per hectare was calculated. 18 potato clones were identified with high parental value for marketable yield, seventeen for total tuber yield and 11 for average tuber weight; nine of them combine high parental value for the three characteristics studied. These clones with late blight resistance, heat tolerant, adapted to medium altitudes, growing period of 90 days and high parental value can be used as parents in breeding programs, to obtain new varieties under the new climate change scenarios with high temperatures. 12 crosses that presented high SCA are the most promising for the development of superior clones.

How big is the potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) yield gap in Sub-Saharan Africa and why? A participatory approach

Abstract According to potato experts from ten Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries working together in a community of practice (CoP) over a 3-years period, potato farmers across SSA can increase their current annual production of 10.8 million metric tons by 140% if they had access to high quality seed along with improved management practices. This paper describes this innovative new methodology tested on potato for the first time, combining modelling and a comprehensive online survey through a CoP. The intent was to overcome the paucity of experimental information required for crop modelling. Researchers, whose data contributed to estimating model parameters, participated in the study using Solanum, a crop model developed by the International Potato Center (CIP). The first finding was that model parameters estimated through participatory modelling using experts’ knowledge were good approximations of those obtained experimentally. The estimated yield gap was 58 Mg ha-1, of which 35 corresponded to a research gap (potential yield minus research yield) and 24 to farmers’ gap (research yield minus farmer’s yield). Over a 6-month period, SurveyMonkey, a Web-based platform was used to assess yield gap drivers. The survey revealed that poor quality seed and bacterial wilt were the main yield gap drivers as perceived by survey respondents.

A list of historical virus detections in sweetpotato from Australia’s east coast – a decade of testing, 2004 to 2014

The Australian sweetpotato industry has experienced remarkable growth in the last 16 years with growers currently marketing over 90,000 t annum-1 of fresh sweetpotatoes worth almost $ 100 million. This rapid increase in production is largely due to the development of a pathogen tested clean planting material scheme in the late 1990s and early 2000s, providing Australian growers with significantly improved quality planting material. More than 95% of Australian commercial sweetpotato production is now derived from pathogen tested (PT) planting material, mostly first generation. The pathogen tested seed scheme in Australia uses thermotherapy and meristem tip culture to remove viruses. Plants are then examined for viruses using herbaceous indexing with Ipomoea setosa and the NCM-ELISA kit from the International Potato Centre (CIP). Until 2013 further diagnostics using conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were obtained as required. In late 2014, real time or quantitative (qPCR) was made available to the sweetpotato industry, initially for the identification of possible Begomovirus infections. A critical component of the Australian sweetpotato industry-s development, has been improving the understanding of viruses that may be of concern to the industry. This paper provides a summary of the sweetpotato virus detections made at Gatton Research Facility (GRF) between 2004 and 2014.

Genetic identity in genebanks: application of the SolCAP 12K SNP array in fingerprinting and diversity analysis in the global in trust potato collection.

Breeders rely on genetic integrity of material from genebanks; however, admixture, mislabeling, and errors in original data can occur and be detrimental. Two hundred and fifty accessions, representing paired samples consisting of original mother plants and their in vitro counterparts from the cultivated potato collection at the International Potato Center (CIP) were fingerprinted using the Infinium 12K V2 Potato Array to confirm genetic identity of the accessions and evaluate genetic diversity of the potato collection. Diploid, triploid, and tetraploid accessions were included, representing seven cultivated potato taxa (based on Hawkes, 1990). Fingerprints between voucher mother plants maintained in the field and in vitro clones of the same accession were used to evaluate identity, relatedness, and ancestry using hierarchal clustering and model-based Bayesian admixture analyses. Generally, in vitro and field clones of the same accession grouped together; however, 11 (4.4%) accessions were mismatches genetically, and in some cases the SNP data revealed the identity of the mixed accession. SNP genotypes were used to assess genetic diversity and to evaluate inter- and intraspecific relationships along with determining population structure and hybrid origins. Phylogenetic analyses suggest that the triploids included in this study are genetically similar. Further, some genetic redundancies among individual accessions were also identified along with some putative misclassified accessions. Accessions generally clustered together based on taxonomic classification and ploidy level with some deviations. STRUCTURE analysis identified six populations with significant gene flow among the populations, as well as revealed hybrid taxa and accessions. Overall, the Infinium 12K V2 Potato Array proved useful in confirming identity and highlighting the diversity in this subset of the CIP collection, providing new insights into the accessions evaluated. This study provides a model for genetic identity of plant genetic resources collections as mistakes in conservation of these collections and in genebanks is a reality. For breeders and other users of these collections, confirmed identity is critical, as well as for quality management programs and to provide insights into the accessions evaluated.

Potential and application of X-ray fluorescence spectrometry to estimate iron and zinc concentration in potato tubers

Breeding efforts to develop high iron and zinc potatoes require a fast and inexpensive technique to evaluate mineral concentrations in large numbers of samples. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of applying X-ray fluorescence spectrometry to estimate iron and zinc in freeze-dried and milled potato tuber samples. The calibration, and the external and independent validations showed high coefficients of determination, 0.93–0.96 for iron and 0.92–0.97 for zinc, and low standard errors, 1.10–1.44 mg/kg DW for iron and 0.91–1.06 mg/kg DW for zinc concentrations, indicating that iron and zinc can be estimated by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry with high precision. The developed calibrations were applied to estimate iron and zinc concentrations of hundreds of biofortified potato clones from the International Potato Center’s breeding program, grown in 3 distinct locations of Peru. Twenty clones showing high iron concentration (above 32 mg/kg DW) and 13 clones with high concentration of zinc (above 25 mg/kg DW) were identified. X-ray fluorescence spectrometry provides a rapid, low cost and suitable tool for potato breeders, compared to inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry for screening iron and zinc concentrations, especially when a high number of potato clones must be evaluated in a short time frame.

Yield Response of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Genotypes to Late Blight Caused by Phytophthora infestans in Uganda

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is a major food and cash crop, mainly grown by small-scale farmers in the highland regions of Uganda. Potato late blight is one of the major diseases limiting production with potential yield losses over 70%, making host resistance a strong element in integrated disease management. This study was carried out to screen and select high yielding potato genotypes with resistance to late blight in Uganda. Forty-eight genotypes, including advanced clones from the population B3C2 of the International Potato Centre, commercial and farmers’ varieties, were evaluated under two environments for two seasons. Trials were laid out in an 8 × 6 alpha lattice design with three replications. Genotypes showed significant differences in yield and resistance to blight. A higher disease severity was observed in Karengyere (56%). The average RAUDPC (= 100 max) across locations indicated that genotypes 395,077.12 and 392,657.8, with disease severity of 12% and 14%, respectively, were the most resistant. Genotypes Victoria (53%) and NKRN59.124 (48%) were the most susceptible. Mean tuber yield under late blight infection was19.8 t ha−1. The best yielding genotype across sites was 395,112.32 (35.6 t ha−1) while 394,905.8 (10.3 t ha−1), yielded the lowest. The mean marketable tuber weight was 8.9 kg with genotypes 395,112.32 and 395,109.34 having the highest marketable weight of 16.5 kg and 15.6 kg respectively. Correlations between yield and yield related parameters were positive (p ≤ 0.001), while those between RAUDPC were negative. The following genotypes, 395,112.32, 391,919.3, 393,220.54. 393,077.54, 396,038.107. 392,657.8, Kinigi, 395,014.17, NKRN59.58, NKRK19.17 and 395,011.2, were identified as promising parents for a late blight resistance breeding program. These exhibited high to medium resistance to late blight disease and high yields.

Effectiveness of Positive Selection in Managing Seed-Borne Potato Viruses

Potato productivity in Kenya has remained below the potential due to the use of infected seed tubers especially by seed borne viruses. A study was carried out to asses the effectiveness of Positive Selection (PS) in managing seed borne potato viruses. Sprouted seed potato tubers of nine genotypes; three commercial varieties and six advanced International Potato Center (CIP) clones were screened in the field for two seasons, Field Generation Three (FG3) and Field Generation Four (FG4), respectively. In each season, experimental plots were divided into two sub-plots in which one sub-plot was planted with seed tubers sourced through Random Seed Selection (RSS) and the other with seed tuber sourced through Positive Selection (PS). Positive selection plots had low visual virus incidences, high number of tubers per hill and yield (t/ha) in both FG3 and FG4 growing seasons irrespective of the genotypes. ELISA test also revealed that Potato Virus S (PVS) (78%) was the most predominant virus followed by Potato Virus Y (PVY) (20%), Potato Leaf Roll Virus (PLRV) (16%) and Potato Virus M (PVM) (9%) in RSS plots either with single or multiple infections. Positive Selection plots recorded low virus incidences of PVS (47%), and PVY, PLRV and PVM were absent in the tubers tested with ELISA. This study concludes that Positive Selection is a good management strategy to manage the seed borne potato viruses, and if adopted, small holder farmers can reduce the yield losses arising from use of virus infected seed tubers.

Evolution of Quality Standards in plant cryobanks - The International Potato Center as a case study

Evolution of Quality Standards in plant cryobanks - The International Potato Center as a case study

In vitro effects of GA3 on morphogenesis of CIP potato explants and acclimatization of plantlets in field

Improvement of potato has been accomplished using conventional and non-conventional approaches coupled with numerous tissue culture procedures. The aim of the present study was to assess the efficacy of gibberellic acid (GA3) on the morphogenesis of International Potato Center (CIP) potato explants and acclimatization of plantlets in the field. Nodal segments as an explant source (1–1.5 cm) were isolated from 31 CIP potato plantlets and were inoculated into Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 0.0 (control), 0.1, 0.5, or 1.0 mg L−1of GA3. The variation in growth parameters of the cultivars was then observed. The highest shoot induction occurred in MS medium containing 1.0 mg L−1 GA3 with an increase in the inter-nodal distance between nodes as compared to other treatments. Higher concentration (1.0 mg L−1) of GA3 significantly increased plant height and root length in the treated germplasm however; this concentration was inhibitory to the number of nodes and roots per plant. The number of leaves was significantly increased in plants receiving GA3 treatment at lower concentration (0.1 mg L−1). The 31 CIP genotypes were transplanted to the field and checked for yield quality traits. It was concluded from the results that GA3 had significant effects on morphogenesis and was effective in the acclimatization of CIP potato plantlets in field.

Accelerating Seed Potato Production By Using Rapid Multiplication Systems in Ethiopia

Ethiopia is one of the major potato producing countries of the Sub-Saharan Africa region where potato is the fastest expanding food crop. The natural environment in Ethiopia is very suitable for year round production of potato using rain-fed and irrigated systems. However, the actual potato yield in the country ranges between 8-10 t/ha, which is slightly below the average for Africa. Shortage of good quality seed has been recognized as the single most important factor limiting potato production in the developing countries including Ethiopia. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to review the accelerating role of rapid seed potato multiplication technologies for potato seed production in Ethiopia. A low adoption of recommended seed potato technologies in the country could be due to a lack of alternative seed potato production methods compatible with farmers’ economic and agro-ecological conditions. Since 2010, Holetta Agricultural Research Centre in collaboration with International Potato Center together are applying different seed potato production hastening schemes to produce early generation seed. These seed multiplication schemes include, tissue culture, aeroponics, sand hydroponics and other rapid multiplication methods in screen house pots. These seed potato multiplication schemes brought a dynamic change for the last five years by accelerating the supply efficiency by 7.6% with enhancing the number from 43,773 mini-tubers to 332,485 mini-tubers. Moreover, these new seed multiplication schemes enhanced the capacity of clean seed production of the country by producing 216,717 mini-tubers of high quality seed from aeroponics and sand hydroponics. The farmers could also access early generation clean seed potato through their nearby cooperatives with affordable price and with lowtransportation cost. Thus, for developing countries like Ethiopia where formal seed system is at infant stages and early generation seed is mostly produced by research institutions, the use of various rapid multiplication techniques could be one option to produce clean seed potato.

Heritability for Yield and Glycoalkaloid Content in Potato Breeding under Warm Environments

Abstract High temperatures affect potato production in the tropics, putting tuber yield and quality at risk and leading to increased glycoalkaloid concentration the cause of the bitter taste in potatoes and a cause for concern for human health. The International Potato Center (CIP), has developed new heat tolerant clones which are heat tolerant and also resistant to late blight. These clones offer an opportunity to evaluate yield and glycoalkaloid levels after growth under high temperature environments. We evaluated four sets of 16 full-sib families and 20 clones for tuber yield and glycoalkaloid content in order to estimate narrow-sense and broad-sense heritability respectively. We used a randomized complete block design replicated in three locations in Peru; San Ramon, La Molina and Majes At harvest, the number and weight of marketable and nonmarketable tubers were recorded. We analyzed samples of tubers from each clone for glycoalkaloid content using spectrophotometry. Narrow-sense heritability for tuber yield, tuber number and average tuber weight were 0.41, 0.50 and 0.83, respectively, indicating that further gains in breeding for heat tolerance will be possible. Broadsense heritability for glycoalkaloid content was 0.63 and correlation with tuber yield was weak, r=0.33 and R²=0.11 (P<0.01). High heritability and weak correlation will allow us to select clones with high tuber yield and low glycoalkaloid content, to serve as candidate varieties and parents in breeding programs.

Genetic diversity and population structure of 288 potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) germplasms revealed by SSR and AFLP markers

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is an important staple food and economic crop in many countries. China has led world potato production in recent years. To understand the genetic diversity of potato germplasms and to enrich the current gene pool for potato improvement, we made a global collection consisted of 288 potato germplasms from eight countries and the International Potato Center (CIP). Using SSR and AFLP techniques, we evaluated the genetic diversity and population structure of these 288 potato accessions. A total of 190 alleles on 20 SSR loci were detected and all of the SSR alleles were polymorphic among these potato germplasms with an average of 9.5 alleles per SSR locus ranging from 2 to 23. The effective number of alleles per locus (Ne*), Nei's genetic diversity (H*), and Shannon's information index (I*) was from (0.1709±0.3698) to (1.6166±0.3414), (0.076±0.1388) to (0.3812±0.1886), and (0.1324±0.1970) to (0.5347±0.1440), respectively, and the mean polymorphic information content (PIC) value was 0.7312. A total of 988 AFLP alleles were detected by 10 AFLP primer combinations with 983 polymorphic alleles, and 99.49% alleles was polymorphic with an average of 98.3 polymorphic alleles per primer combination ranging from 91 to 116. The values of Ne*, H* and I* were from (1.5162±0.311) to (1.6423±0.3278), (0.3114±0.145) to (0.3675±0.1121), and (0.4761±0.1792) to (0.547±0.1322), respectively, and the average PIC value was 0.9871. Bayesian analysis discriminated the accessions into seven subgroup and an admix group. The majority of accessions from CIP and China were assigned into SG1, SG5, SG6, SG7 and admix group. Accessions in SG3 were mainly from CIP and two small groups SG2 and SG4 were mainly from northeastern China. In general, the results obtained from Bayesian statistical analysis, cluster analysis and principal coordinate analysis consistently revealed the lack of geographical differentiation among country-wide collections, indicating germplasm introduction was common for the countries out of potato origin center. The polymorphic markers and the differentiate genetic lineages found in this study provide useful information for potato improvement and conservation programs.

Evaluation and selection of true potato (Solanum tuberosum) seed families in North-Central plains of India

Segregating progenies from 19 crosses of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) developed at the International Potato Center (CIP), Peru were tested during 2008-2013 for adaptation and yield attributes in the sub-tropical plains of India i.e. Modipuram, Uttar Pradesh. The progenitors of the crosses showed early foliage maturity, tolerance to biotic stresses and processing attributes. In initial clonal generations, selection was based on desirable tuber attributes and tuber yield components. Clones showing viral symptoms, producing long stolons, irregular tuber shape, russetting, cracking or deep eyes were eliminated. From the initial population of 17,300 true seeds, 13 advanced clones of fivecrosses were subjected to evaluation in replicated trials and nine better performing clones were selected. Critical evaluation of these nine clones resulted in the identification of five promising clones (305069.701, 305111.701, 305138.702, 397186.703 and 397186.704) with high tuber yield (43 to 50 t/ha) and desirable tuber attributes. These advanced clones hold promise of becoming new potato cultivars and may be used in breeding programmes aiming at high productivity in the region for improving the livelihood of farmers.

Evaluation of potato clones for their adaptation to medium altitude conditions in the tropics

Potato is one of the most important crops in the world, including in the tropics. Potato requires low temperatures or cool climate for optimum tuber yield, which in the tropics, can be obtained mostly in high altitude growing areas. The limitation of land availability for potato production in highland areas of some tropical countries has steered the recent development of potato production to medium altitude areas. The objective of our study is to identify potato accessions with promising levels of heat resistance in laboratory and with good adaptation to medium altitude in the field. We used in vitro assay to screen a number of potato clones with possible resistance to heat stress on the basis literature and database of the International Potato Center, supplemented with the collection of Bogor Agricultural University. We then continued with verification of selected clones using field test in high altitude (1300 m above sea level) and medium altitude (700 m above sea level) areas. Our result showed that there is considerable variation of S. tuberosum for their adaptation to medium altitude areas in the tropics that can be exploited in breeding programs. We identified one genotype PKHT 2013-06 that was superior for its ability to produce tubers under extreme conditions. Thus, it might be very suitable to be used in a breeding program to develop tolerant varieties of potato to medium altitude areas in the tropics.

Introgression of the Rl adg allele of resistance to potato leafroll virus in Solanum tuberosum L.

Abstract Genetic resistance to Potato Leafroll Virus (PLRV) is polygenic, which hinders the obtainment of resistant cultivars. However, works carried out at the International Potato Center have identified an andigena accession, LOP-868, with high resistance level and low accumulation of PLRV due to the gene of major effect Rladg. We verify the transfer of the Rladg allele to clones of the cross between LOP-868 and UFLA clones, by using the SCAR RGASC850 molecular marker; to evaluate the reaction of these clones to PLRV by inoculating the virus using aphids; and to analyze their agronomic performance of clones. Among the clones inoculated with viruliferous aphids, 49.3% were negative to the serological test, indicating possible resistance. Clones containing the Rladg allele were identified by the RGASC850 molecular marker, which demonstrates the possibility of transferring the Rladg allele of resistance to PLRV from LOP-868 to Solanum tuberosum. Some clones that presented the Rladg allele are also promising for agronomic performance.

A food-based approach to reduce vitamin A deficiency in southern Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study of maternal nutrition and health indicators

One micronutrient essential for proper growth and development is Vitamin A. Children and pregnant women are most susceptible to vitamin A deficiency (VAD) because of the higher intake requirements needed during critical growth periods. Vitamin A deficiency is a serious but preventable public health problem in Ethiopia. In 2012, the International Potato Center (CIP) partnered with the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW) and local stakeholders in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region (SNNPR), Ethiopia, to address the issue of VAD among rural SNNPR households by increasing production and consumption of orange fleshed sweet potatoes (OFSP). This paper presents a cross-sectional analysis of vitamin A knowledge, consumption practices, and OFSP agronomic practices from surveys conducted among households who participated in a food-based intervention. The study population consisted of 150 mothers from rural households in five districts in the Sidama and Wolayta zones in the SNNPR. Data were collected during April and May 2013 by trained enumerators in the local language using structured questionnaires. Surveys were adapted from validated instruments, and included questions about household socioeconomic characteristics, agricultural practices, dietary diversity, food security, and general health for women between 20-60 years and children between 6-59 months. Among respondents, 63% of mothers reported knowledge about vitamin A, with responses varying by geographic location. Among those who reported knowledge about vitamin A, 8% identified OFSP as a source, 1% had consumed OFSP in the past 7 days, and 0% reported that they ever prepared OFSP with an animal- or vegetable-based fat. Vitamin A-related health issues reported by mothers include night-blindness (32%), measles (32%) and malaria (72%). Given that existing knowledge, behaviors and production levels of vitamin A rich foods (including OFSP) are limited within the SNNPR study population and vary by geographic location, an integrated, food-based approach to address VAD may be relevant in this context to sustainably support improved health and livelihoods. Key words : Nutrition, orange fleshed sweet potato, behavior change, Ethiopia