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April, 2007
Agricultural
Biotechnology Support Project II (ABSPII) Southeast Asia
Newsletter Vol.III No. 2
http://www.absp2.cornell.edu/resources/regionalnewsletters/documents/southeast_asia_v2_n4.pdf
A confined trial of late blight resistant (LBR) potato at the
Indonesian Vegetable Research Institute (IVEGRI) showed that the
transgenic potato varieties developed by the University of
Wisconsin are resistant to natural infestation of the Indonesian
race of Phytophthora infestans, the causal organism of the
blight disease.
There were 13 potato genotypes used in the confined trial, which
include susceptible potato cultivars that were grown as border
rows. These cultivars were planted between plots and surrounding
the main plot. Insecticides were applied on the field when
necessary to protect against insect infestation. No fungicide
was used during the confined trial.
All plants of the susceptible cultivars succumbed to the disease
during the confined trial. These cultivars (Atlantic, Granola,
Katahdin control, and Merbabu) were severely infected two months
after planting (MAP). Among the resistant genotypes, J103K7 was
observed to be more resistant than SP951 and SP904. Among the
transgenic lines, SP951 is more resistant than SP904. The wild
species (Solanum bubocastanum) PT29, which is the source of
resistance gene (RB gene) on SP951 and SP904, was confirmed to
be the most resistant to P. infestans from Lembang.
Dr. Frank Shotkoski, Director of ABSPII visited the confined
trial in February, together with members of the Indonesian
Biosafety and Food Safety Technical Team (IBFSTT). The LBR
Potato breeding team followed the requirements specified by the
IBFSTT such as provisions for genetic and material confinement
which aim to prevent gene flow and LBR potato material going out
of the confined trial.
(M Herman) |
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