Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
Page 21
Page 22
Page 23
Page 24
Page 25
Page 26
Page 27
Page 28
Page 29
Page 30
Page 31
Page 32
Page 33
Page 34
Page 35
Page 36
SPUDSMART.COM INTERNATIONAL EDITION 201524 Late Blight Breakthrough A new major genetic discovery could have great potential for the global potato industry. BY MARC ZIENKIEWICZ THERE MAY be a new weapon in the fight against one of the worlds most devastating potato diseases late blight. Scientists from Wageningen University in the Netherlands and the Sainsbury Laboratory at Norwich Research Park in England say theyve identified a resistant gene that fights against new strains of the oomycete disease. The wild potato gene targets elicitin a pathogen protein that performs an important biological function. This make makes it less likely for the late blight pathogen to evolve and evade resistance. The scientists found that transferring ELR the elicitin resistance gene into cultivated potato made it more resistant to several strains of late blight opening up new possibilities for breeding a broad and durable resistance into various potato varieties increasing food security and reducing the use of fungicides. This is a new line of defense against potato blight says Sophien Kamoun research group leader at the Sainsbury Laboratory. Late blight disease is caused by Phytophthora infestans infamous for triggering the Irish potato famine in the 1800s. This widespread pathogen is still a major threat to crops and remains one of the biggest headaches for potato producers around the world. Caused by a fungus-like oomycete microbe late blight attacks both tubers and foliage and is a threat at every stage of production from field to storage. New strains of the late blight pathogen that are resistant to conventional fungicide treatments have been emerging in recent years in Canada for example the disease is spreading into parts of the country that were virtually blight-free until only a few years ago. The discovery is good news for Benoit Bizimungu potato breeder and gene resources curator forAgriculture and Agri-Food Canadas Potato Resource Centre in New Brunswick. This study represents a significant breakthrough he says. It may help us make even more progress in the fight against late blight. LENGTHY SEARCH This genetic breakthrough has been a long time coming. The international team of scientists began their gene research by focusing on proteins considered essential to P. infestans. According to Wageningen University researcher Vivianne Vleeshouwers the discovery has its roots in an old theory the so-called Achilles heel hypothesis. A problem of breeding for late blight resistance is that introduced resistance genes get quickly overcome by the late blight pathogen. This means that the pathogen can adapt by changing the Sophien Kamoun research group leader at the Sainsbury Laboratory at the United Kingdoms Norwich Research Park is part of a team that identified a gene that enhances resistance against late blight disease. PHOTO THE SAINSBURY LABORATORY.