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Resistance of tubers from different potato cultivars to soft rot caused byErwinia carotovora subsp.atroseptica

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Abstract

Mechanically harvested tubers of 14 potato cultivars grown on both loamy sand and silt loam soils were evaluated for resistance to bacterial soft rot caused byErwinia carotovora subsp.atroseptica. Cultivars were also assayed for calcium and dry matter content to determine possible correlations with soft rot resistance.

Resistance of potato tubers to bacterial soft rot was assayed after harvest by inoculating tubers and determining percent surface area decayed after four days in a mist chamber. Tubers of the cultivars differed widely in resistance to bacterial soft rot. The ranking of the resistance of tubers from different cultivars to bacterial soft rot was similar for both soils, although disease severity in tubers from a particular soil type varied with the season. Of the cultivars tested, tubers of Butte, Russet Burbank, and Nor-gold Russet were ranked as the most resistant, whereas tubers of Redsen, Norchip, Norland and Belchip were rated as the most susceptible. Tubers of Rhinered, Red La Soda, Superior, Pontiac, Atlantic, and Nooksack were intermediate in resistance.

Neither calcium concentration in medullar tissues nor dry matter of potato tubers alone could be correlated with ranking of the cultivars with respect to severity of bacterial soft rot. However, a multiple linear regression model incorporating both variables indicated that tubers with a high content of both calcium and dry matter were likely to be less susceptible to bacterial soft rot than were tubers with lower percentages of these variables.

Compendio

Tubérculos de 14 cultivares de papa que crecieron en suelos arenoarcillosos y migajón-cenagoso fueron cosechados mecánicamente y evaluados para resistencia a la pudrición blanda bacteriana causada porErwinia carotovora subsp.atroseptica. Los cultivares fueron evaluados también por su contenido en calcio y materia seca, para determinar posibles correlaciones con la resistencia a la enfermedad.

La resistencia de los tubérculos a la pudrición blanda bacteriana se determinó después de la cosecha inoculando los tubérculos y determinando el porcentaje de área superficial afectada después de permanecer cuatro días en una cámara de nebulización. Los tubérculos de los diferentes cultivares presentaron diferencias considerables en la resistencia a la pudrición. La clasificación de los tubérculos de acuerdo a la enfermedad fue similar para ambos tipos de suelo, no obstante que la severidad de la enfermedad para un tipo de suelo en particular varió con la temporada. De los cultivares probados, los tubérculos de Butte, Russet Burbank, y Norgold Russet fueron clasificados como los más susceptibles. Los tubérculos de Rhinered, Red La Soda, Superior, Pontiac, Atlantic, y Nooksack mostraron resistencia intermedia.

Ni las concentraciones de calcio en los tejidos de la médula ni la materia seca de los tubérculos de papa pudieron ser correlacionados con la clasificación alcanzada por los cultivares de acuerdo a la severidad de la pudrición blanda bacteriana. Sin embargo, una regresión multilineal que incorporaba ambas variables indicó que los tubérculos con un alto contenido tanto de calcio como de materia seca eran aparentemente menos susceptibles a la enfermedad que aquellos con porcentajes menores de estas variables.

Compendio

Tubérculos de 14 cultivares de papa que crecieron en suelos arenoarcillosos y migajón-cenagoso fueron cosechados mecánicamente y evaluados para resistencia a la pudrición blanda bacteriana causada porErwinia carotovora subsp.atroseptica. Los cultivares fueron evaluados también por su contenido en calcio y materia seca, para determinar posibles correlaciones con la resistencia a la enfermedad.

La resistencia de los tubérculos a la pudrición blanda bacteriana se determinó después de la cosecha inoculando los tubérculos y determinando el porcentaje de área superficial afectada después de permanecer cuatro días en una cámara de nebulización. Los tubérculos de los diferentes cultivares presentaron diferencias considerables en la resistencia a la pudrición. La clasificación de los tuberculos de acuerdo a la enfermedad fue similar para ambos tipos de suelo, no obstante que la severidad de la enfermedad para un tipo de suelo en particular varió con la temporada. De los cultiares probados, los tubérculos de Butte, Russet Burbank, y Norgold Russet fueron clasificados como los más susceptibles. Los tubérculos de Rhinered, Red La Soda, Superior, Pontiac, Atlantic, y Nooksack mostraron resistencia intermedia.

Ni las concentraciones de calcio en los tejidos de la médula ni la materia seca de los tuberculos de papa pudieron ser correlacionados con la clasificación alcanzada por los cultivares de acuerdo a la severidad de la pudrición blanda bacteriana. Sin embargo, una regresión multilineal que incorporaba ambas variables indicó que los tubérculos con un alto contenido tanto de calcio como de materia seca eran aparentemente menos susceptibles a la enfermedad que aquellos con porcentajes menores de estas variables.

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Author notes

  1. Kuo-Ching Tzeng

    Present address: Department of Plant Pathology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan

  2. Raymond G. McGuire

    Present address: Subtropical Horticulture Research Station, 13601 Old Cutler Road, 33158, Miami, FL

  3. Arthur Kelman

    Present address: Department of Plant Pathology, Box 7616, N.C. State University, 27695-7616, Raleigh, NC

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, 53706, Madison, WI

    Kuo-Ching Tzeng, Raymond G. McGuire & Arthur Kelman

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  1. Kuo-Ching Tzeng
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Former graduate research assistants and Professor, respectively.

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Tzeng, KC., McGuire, R.G. & Kelman, A. Resistance of tubers from different potato cultivars to soft rot caused byErwinia carotovora subsp.atroseptica . American Potato Journal 67, 287–305 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02987271

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