Precise, simple screening for resistance in potato varieties to common scab using paper pots

Abstract

Resistance to common scab pathogen Streptomyces turgidiscabies of seven potato varieties was compared in the field with a newly developed paper pot method. Seedlings raised in soil in paper pots containing inocula at 1 × 10³ to 10⁷ cfu/g soil were transplanted into a scab-free field and grown for 3 months. The disease severity of the seven varieties in the field trials differed in iteration and from year to year, even though their resistance levels were approximately similar at the expected levels. With the paper pot method, the seven varieties had different resistance levels, which were almost completely consistent with the results of the field trials, at more than 1 × 10⁵ cfu/g soil. Significant differences in disease severity between resistant and susceptible varieties were observed (P = 0.05) for 2 years, and the resistance level of the varieties was elucidated.