In Uganda, potato is primarily grown as a cash crop and smallholder farmers sell majority of their produce immediately after harvest. Only a few farmers store ware potato for later sale using various traditional storage methods. Main reasons are farmers’ immediate need for cash, the low volumes of potato harvested, fear of loss during storage due to pests and diseases, and a lack of adequate storage

Postharvest storage of potatoes may result in compositional and textural changes, which may differ among different genotypes. These changes have been less documented in the literature. Ten potato cultivars (“Picasso”, “Red Scarlet”, “Sifra”, “Challenger”, “Sante”, “Banba”, “Arinda”, “Agria”, “Fontane’, and ‘Innovator”) were evaluated in pre- and post-harvest experiments. In the pre-harvest experiment

In New Zealand, potato crop yields of 90 t ha−1 are achievable but at 55 t ha−1, the average is becoming economically unsustainable. In 2012/13, a grower-initiated survey found that Rhizoctonia solani and Spongospora subterranea (soil-borne pathogens) and soil compaction were widespread in 11 Canterbury potato crops. Targeted areas in these crops had measured yield losses of 0 (healthy plants) – 42

Late blight (LB) is the main potato disease worldwide and one of the most important ways to control it is the use of resistant varieties. Twenty-two potato clones from the B3 breeding population developed by the International Potato Center with high resistance to the disease and two susceptible controls were inoculated with four Peruvian complex isolates (POX67, PPA61, PLL69, and PPI112) of Phytophthora

Bacteria belonging to the Pectobacterium and Dickeya genera are globally distributed phytopathogens that are responsible for economically important soft rot and blackleg diseases of potatoes. Since 2014, there have been increased outbreaks of blackleg disease in the Eastern US, with many cases caused by an especially virulent, nearly clonal strain of Dickeya dianthicola. This disease is thought to

The ability of potato tubers to tolerate cold temperatures could be useful for maintaining the quality of tuber seed used for growing the crop, preserving the crop in storage, and germplasm preservation. Previous work measured the limits of survival of tubers of numerous populations of the wild tuber-bearing potato species Solanum jamesii (jam), native to the southwest USA in terms of ability to sprout

The production of commercial potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) for different market classes is of vital agricultural importance in the United States. For the production of chips, fresh-market or processing potatoes, potato producers rely upon different potato cultivars to meet market and consumer demands. Many cultivars possess distinctive traits which make them more or less susceptible to disease and insect

Potato is one of the main crops grown worldwide under different climatic conditions. Potato is conventionally produced under intensive tillage practices under the same or different soil types. Research has shown some contrasting effects of the tillage practices on the soil properties, crop growth, yield, and quality. Under the reducing available freshwater for food production, soil management practices

Ninety-seven accessions of 14 wild Solanum species were evaluated for late blight resistance under natural infection conditions in the Toluca Valley, México, for two consecutive growing seasons. Significant effects were detected for the interaction of Accession/Year variation in Disease Maximum, sAUDPC (standardized AUDPC), r (rate of disease increase per unit time), and T50 (time to reach 50% of the

Conventional breeding and genetics in a vegetatively propagated, autotetraploid, highly heterozygous recalcitrant crop species such as potato is challenging. Diploid inbred lines in potato will serve as an invaluable source of material for breeding and functional genetics. Most of the available diploid germplasm in potato is either self-incompatible and/or is not amenable to genetic engineering. Traits

Genetic improvement of yield in potato has lagged behind that of other major crops over the past century, prompting the search for alternative breeding methods that may accelerate the development of improved cultivars. One proposed strategy has been to identify and use heterotic groups to increase the yield and consistency of clones produced by breeding programs. To investigate this approach, hybridizations

A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-021-09840-5

La Belle Russet is an early-maturing, medium-russeted, potato variety, with attractive tubers across environments, suitable for both fresh-pack and processing. In early-harvest trials, La Belle Russet had total and marketable yields comparable to Russet Norkotah. However, unlike Russet Norkotah, La Belle Russet can be processed into French fries following up to 7 months storage at 8.9 C and has a low

Potato virus Y (PVY) impacts potato production worldwide by reducing potato yield, tuber quality, and successful certification of seed. Extreme resistance to PVY is conferred by three genes (Ryadg, Rysto, and Rychc) which have been introgressed from wild species into cultivated varieties. Both Rysto and Ryadg are used in many breeding programs worldwide, but Rychc is found in only a limited number

AFLP markers were used to build a core subset in 144 accessions of the United States Potato Genebank (USPG) ex situ collection of the species formerly known as Solanum phureja (now reclassified as Solanum tuberosum L. subsp. andigenum). A core subset aims to sample the minimum number possible of non-redundant germplasm units capturing the maximum diversity of the entire collection. Characterization

In the Bolivian Andean region, a diversity native potatoes species (Solanum spp) are cultivated. Areas where many types of native potato are grown are known as microcentres of potato genetic diversity. However, yields are low in these places, apparently related to viral infections. The incidence of the potato-affecting viruses Potato Virus X (PVX), Potato Virus Y (PVY), Potato Leaf Roll Virus (PLRV)

Phosphorus (P) is an essential macronutrient for potato growth and development. In Florida’s Tri-County Agricultural Area (TCAA) P is applied annually at high rates to ensure yields. This practice has led to a buildup of soil P with Mehlich-3 soil nutrient P levels as high as 475 mg/kg. Potato farmers customarily apply P fertilizers despite their soil likely already containing high levels of this nutrient

Potato is the world's largest non-cereal crop, occupying a position critical for global food security. In China, potato is the fourth largest crop adding to food security and incomes. The large population and unremitting reductions in arable land are the most critical root causes of China's food security problems. Hence, crop yield improvements and strategies to improve land use are at the forefront

Haploids have often been used to simplify the genetic complexity of potato due to its high heterozygosity and autotetraploidy. We maintained some haploid plants of wild potato species in vitro that were produced through anther culture almost a half century ago. Among them, a diploid Solanum bulbocastanum and its monohaploid, three monohaploids of S. verrucosum, a disomic tetraploid S. stoloniferum

Potato has about 100 related wild Solanum species growing naturally in the Americas. The US Potato Genebank aims to keep samples useful for research and breeding to improve the crop, often in the form of botanical seed families. A key component of genebank efficiency is assessing diversity within and among populations, and DNA marker sequence diversity is a powerful proxy for trait diversity. We previously

Seed potatoes in North America are predominantly cut and treated with a fungicide seed potato treatment before planting. Though seed potatoes that have been cut and fungicide-treated have been shown to perform as well or better than single drop seed (whole tubers in the range of 43–85 g) without fungicide seed treatment, no comparisons were made with single-drop seed that had been treated with a fungicide

In North America, potato early dying is often controlled using soil fumigants. Fumigants confer benefits on plant health but also impact soil microbial activity, including nitrogen (N) cycling. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of two soil fumigants, chloropicrin and metam sodium, on potato crop yield, N uptake, and N use efficiency (NUE), as well as soilborne pathogens, soil microbial

There is a worldwide effort to increase the efficiency of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivar development by using inbred diploid breeding lines. This activity is impeded by the cost and effort required to produce dihaploids from cultivated tetraploid potatoes. We developed a high throughput dihaploid production method based on the 60-year-old method of Peloquin and Hougas. Red Norland inflorescences

The Neshannock potato variety was developed in the early nineteenth century in Pennsylvania by John and James Gilkey. This variety rose very rapidly in popularity across the United States. During the Irish Famine in the 1840s large quantities of this variety were shipped to Ireland to feed the hungry. Its demise by the end of the nineteenth century was probably caused by the combination of the lack

Pectobacterium and Dickeya species cause soft rot and blackleg diseases of potato which result in yield losses throughout the United States. The bacterial species involved in this disease complex have not been recently determined in the Columbia Basin. In 2018 and 2019, 145 plant samples with symptoms of soft rot were analyzed for the bacterial species causing disease. Soft rot bacteria species were

Identifying potato canopy defoliation methods that enhance tuber shelf-life is critical, particularly with increased quality losses in early potato production. Studies combining the evaluation of herbicides’ efficacy as desiccants and the comparison to mechanical vine kill can guide producers to strategically manage canopy desiccation. Five desiccation programs were tested during the Spring of 2017

Dihaploid production from elite tetraploid cultivars is key to both traditional and novel breeding approaches that seek to simplify potato genetics. For this purpose, efficient and widely compatible haploid inducers (HIs) are needed. We compared PL-4, a new HI developed at the International Potato Center, to known HIs IvP101 and IvP35. By pollination of elite tetraploid breeding lines, we showed that

Pyramiding resistance genes (R genes) in potato generally provides improved field resistance against late blight (LB). Potato breeders may implement pyramiding by targeting breeding schemes according to LB genetic profiles. This study interrogated LB resistant elite germplasm for pyramided late blight R genes using DNA-based markers, which were then challenged against contemporary LB races. Five late

Potato seed piece spacing (SPS) is a determinant driver of tuber size profile and can be adjusted to maximize tuber yield. Three field trials were carried out in subtropical growing conditions to determine the response of SPS (e.g., 15, 20, 25, and 30 cm) on aboveground biomass, total tuber yield (TTY), tuber size distribution, and tuber quality of six table-stock potato cultivars. TTY and size distribution

The potato tuberworm, Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), is an important field and storage pest of potato Solanum tuberosum L. Feeding indices and midgut digestive protease and amylase enzyme activities were measured under laboratory conditions in P. operculella larvae reared on leaves of eight potato genotypes including Agria, Ausonia, Khavaran, Kondor, Morene, Satina, Savalan

Potato production is important for Indonesian farmers, consumers and the economy. However, potato yields in Indonesia are comparatively lower than international standards. This review outlines the major pests and diseases associated with potato production in Indonesia, their impact on yield, efforts to manage them on farm and via Farmer Field School education. The dominance of the cultivar Granola

Crop genebanks keep a sample of the diversity in wild and cultivated germplasm. Knowing the structure of diversity within and among populations informs best decisions on efficient collecting, preservation and use. The US Potato Genebank has over 90 Solanum species, ranging in representation from only a few populations to several hundred. In a previous study we showed that populations of three species

Stored potato tubers are susceptible to pathogens, such as Potato virus Y, and studies of host/pathogen interactions on a gene transcription level can provide insight into the disease development. A method for studying individual gene expression is reverse trancription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) that relies on utilization of reference genes. To select appropriate reference genes

Methods for diploid true potato seed (TPS) production and handing are crucial for inbred-hybrid potato breeding. This study determined the effects of mother plant nutrition on average TPS weight and germination kinetics as modeled by Gompertz curves. Additionally, it characterized germination of stratified TPS and TPS imbibed in water or gibberellic acid (GA3). Seeds were produced by three interspecific

Potato has about 100 related wild Solanum species growing naturally in the Americas. Solanum jamesii (jam), native to the southwest USA and Mexico, has many valuable traits for breeding, but making hybrids is extremely difficult. We investigated the approach of using the bridge species Solanum verrucosum (ver). A survey of all ver populations in the US Potato Genebank identified the best females. The

Solanum chacoense Bitt. (chc) is a short-day adapted wild diploid (2n = 2x = 24) species, relative of the commercial potato S. tuberosum L. (tbr), that has demonstrated higher below-ground biomass when cultivated under limited nitrogen (N) supply, suggesting it possesses greater potential for N recovery by increasing root length density (RLD). The objectives of this study were to compare screening

A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-021-09826-3

Common scab is a soilborne disease that occurs in potato worldwide. Scab is usually present superficially on potato tubers but nonetheless reduces marketability. A genome-wide association study for common scab resistance was performed using 13,002 genome-wide SNPs, with 165 genotypes mostly for chip-processing. We identified a novel QTL for common scab resistance that explained at most 14.7% of the

Potato is staple food that promotes global food security. One major source of waste are culls due to discoloration of the tubers, some types of which may be associated with nutritionally desirable phenylpropanoids. We examined blackspot bruising, and enzymatic browning of tuber slices and potato juice in 12 different cultivars. Discoloration was measured, along with polyphenol oxidase activity and

Potato tubers are an important agricultural crop containing carotenoids, an important group of secondary plant metabolites showing positive health benefits. This paper examines nine carotenoids at weekly intervals in three cultivars with different flesh color during the tuber maturation process, as analyzed by HPLC-DAD. Total carotenoids showed a bell-shaped distribution with maximum values in the

Diploid hybrid potato variety development requires the introduction of reliably transmitted self-compatibility (SC) to largely self-incompatible elite diploid germplasm. The diploid Solanum chacoense clone M6 has been widely used to introgress SC into North American potato diploid breeding programs. We determined that M6 is homozygous for six DNA Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP)™ markers spanning

Stagnating potato tuber yields in Prince Edward Island (PEI) are a major economic concern. Identification of factors influencing within-field yield variation may provide insight into strategies for overcoming yield limitations. A survey approach was used where soil samples were collected from 49 commercial fields from 2014 to 2017 from a total of 289 sampling points, with points identified as having

2011 reports of Zebra Chip in major potato growing regions of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington resulted in calendar-based psyllid management programs. With the goal of improving the sustainability and profitability of potato production systems, researchers developed disease risk maps to support informed decision-making regarding timing and necessity of psyllid targeted spray applications. The benefits

Potato leak, caused by Pythium ultimum, is characterized by brown to dark-gray lesions on tubers. The efficacy of fungicides applied by foliar spray, in-furrow treatment, or by combination of both methods on disease incidence was evaluated in three field trials. In 2018, a single [50 days after planting (DAP), or 1 week prior to haulm kill (HK)], or two foliar sprays (50 DAP and 1 week pre-HK) of metalaxyl

Potato virus Y (PVY) causes both foliar and necrotic tuber symptoms in a wide range of varieties. Knowledge of these symptoms in specific varieties will help managers determine the best course of action when plants are infected with PVY. Multiple isolates of PVY from five strains of PVY were used to infect potato varieties. Five market classes were represented and an overall total of sixty-seven potato

The translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) has been implicated in naturally-occurring resistance to the Potato Virus Y (PVY) determined by the pot-1 locus in tomato. The susceptible potato varieties Russet Norkotah, Silverton Russet, and Classic Russet, along with the Michigan State University breeding line MSE149-5Y, were transformed with the pot-1 gene from Solanum hirsutum to achieve PVY resistance

Advances in technology have opened multiple formats of rapid communication for Extension personnel to communicate with clientele. Today, Extension personnel at many universities use webpages, social media, applications on smart phones, and many other ways to deliver timely messages to clientele. For example, the University of Maine Cooperative Extension provides a hotline for the latest information

Pest monitoring networks form the foundation of many integrated pest management programs in agroecosystems throughout the world. These monitoring networks tend to focus on widely dispersed and highly variable insect pest populations that can cause significant crop loss without intervention. By assessing the distribution and abundance of insects over growing seasons, pest monitoring networks help growers

Acute decision making requires accurate information to mitigate risk in producing and storing a potato crop. Unfortunately, sometimes those decisions need to be made rapidly to ensure crop yield and quality. Simple tools, which require little to no user’s expertise or elaborate equipment for rapid data collection, may be crucial in developing a prompt response. Determining the causal disease of a plant

Soft rot bacteria are the main cause of early seed decay and stand losses in field grown potatoes. These bacteria are present in most surface water and colonize lenticels of early generation seed potatoes and cause disease when conditions are favorable for bacterial growth. Soft rot bacteria, formerly in the genus Erwinia, have been reclassified into the genera Dickeya and Pectobacterium. Because of

Worldwide, potato (Solanum tuberosum L) is rated as one of the most important food crops after wheat, rice and maize. Bacterial wilt, caused by Ralstonia solanacearum (Rs), is one of the most economically important diseases of potato. The purpose of this study was to identify diploid germplasm with resistance to bacterial wilt. The wilting degree was assessed by analyzing the wilt percentage of six

The foundation of potato (Solanum tuberosum) breeding and the development of new potato varieties is the crossing of parents to produce seeds that contain new combinations of alleles that may be superior to those in either parent. In this review, we begin by highlighting a signature problem of potato breeding, the widespread lack of fertility observed in many lines. We summarize normal development

The development in the past decade of both unmanned aerial systems, or drones, and near infrared camera technology has significantly augmented the use of remote sensing in agriculture. The increased consumer availability, rapid deployment, and simple operation of drones when partnered with the smaller size and high resolution of imagery obtained by newer near infrared cameras makes them an ideal tool

Breeding for late blight resistance has traditionally relied on phenotypic selection, but as the number of characterized resistance (R) genes has grown, so have the possibilities for genotypic selection. One challenge for breeding russet varieties is the lack of information about the genetic basis of resistance in this germplasm group. Based on observations of strong resistance by ‘Payette Russet’

Galena Russet is a potato variety notable for high marketable yields resulting from greater resistance to external tuber defects compared to industry standard Russet Burbank. Galena Russet exhibits long dormancy, cold-sweetening resistance, and higher protein content than standard varieties. In early-season trials conducted over 3 years in the Pacific Northwest, Galena Russet produced total and U.S

The response to nitrogen (N) rate for two potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars grown in a sub-tropical climate was evaluated during two spring seasons. Early-maturing tablestock potato cultivars, ‘Fabula’ and ‘Red LaSoda’, were grown using surface-drip irrigation. N fertilizer was applied through irrigation drip tape at 0, 112, 224, and 336 kg ha−1 of N. There was no difference of aboveground and