粮食和农业植物遗传资源国际条约

BSF Project - First Cycle

Broadening of potato (Solanum tuberosum) genetic basis through introgression of local wild species, Solanum commersonii
Overview
Growing in a field, Solanum commersonii looks like a weak vine. But Solanum commersonii is a wild relative of cultivated potatoes whose center of diversity is in Uruguay – and it’s a lot stronger than it looks, thanks to genetic makeup which has given it natural resistance to one of the world’s most damaging potato diseases, a fungus known as Ralstonia solanacearum, or bacterial wilt. Traditionally, bacterial wilt was found in warm climates, but in recent years it has begun spreading into more temperate zones and, in fact, was found in 39 percent of samples from potato fields of Uruguay in 2001. Its immediate effect was severe crop loss with the add-on effect of forcing the country to import potato seed because its harvested potatoes were compromised by the fungus. Potato is the main horticultural crop of Uruguay, with an annual consumption of more than 40 kg per person.
Crops
Potato
Window 2 - Immediate action projects
Region: Latin America and the Caribbean
Implementing institution: INIA

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