Host–pathogen interaction between Phytophthora infestans and Solanum tuberosum following exposure to short and long daylight hours

• Published in: Acta physiologiae plantarum 2013-04, Vol.35 (4), p.1131-1139
• Main Authors: Lebecka, Renata, Sobkowiak, Sylwester
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agriculture; analysis of variance; Biomedical and Life Sciences; genes; genotype; greenhouses; incubation period; Life Sciences; nonpathogenic strains; Original Paper; photoperiod; Phytophthora infestans; Plant Anatomy/Development; Plant Biochemistry; Plant Genetics and Genomics; Plant Pathology; Plant Physiology; potatoes; Solanum tuberosum; sporulation; virulence
• ISSN: 0137-5881; 1861-1664
• DOI: 10.1007/s11738-012-1150-4

The influence of short and long day length on the expression of qualitative and quantitative resistance to Phytophthora infestans in potato was studied. The incompatible interaction was tested for available set of isolates avirulent in greenhouse conditions to potato Black’s differentials possessing the genes: R2, R5, R6, R8, R9, R10, and standard potato cultivar Tarpan (no known R gene). The avirulent isolates either were completely avirulent regardless of plant growing conditions, or they infected leaflets of these differentials more frequently when plants were exposed previously to short day conditions than to long day conditions. This study highlights the importance of day length, among many other factors which are controlled, in testing the expression of the virulence of P. infestans isolates. In compatible interactions, when quantitative resistance was evaluated in differentials with gene R1, R3, R4, R7, R11, and potato cultivar Craigs Royal (no known R gene), stronger infection expressed by lesion growth rate, as well as stronger sporulation, were observed on potato leaflets of plants exposed to short day for 6–7 weeks before inoculation. The analysis of variance revealed a significant contribution to variation in lesion growth rate of day length, genotype, as well as day length by genotype interaction. Significant influence of isolate, and genotype, but not day length, on the expression of the incubation period was found. The results indicate the necessity of evaluating components of partial resistance present in potato lines used in breeding potato resistant to P. infestans in destined day length growing conditions.