American Journal of Potato Research最新文献

The risk associated with genetically modified (GM) plants has sparked considerable debate. This study assesses the influence of transgenic phosphofructokinase overexpressing potatoes (pfkB-potato) on the soils of three major potato-growing Pakistani districts, by studying effects on the soil properties, enzymatic activities, and microbial abundance. There were no significant differences in soil properties or major/minor nutrients between GM and wild potatoes. The nitrogen content of transgenic potato plants in Sahiwal soil increased by 5.7% at all stages. At the flowering stage, 6–7% more available phosphorus in wild-type potato was noted in Mansehra and Sahiwal soils. Dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, and urease activities peaked at flowering, while were lowest at harvest stage. Actinobacteria (86.06%), Proteobacteria (10.37%), and Firmicutes (3.57%) were the most abundant phyla. Potato cultivation, regardless of wild-type or transgenic, increased the Firmicutes bacteria abundance, compared to non-vegetative soil. In conclusion, cultivating pfkB-potato can only slightly alter soil enzymes/properties, albeit not significantly.

Conservation tillage has shown potential to improve soil health and enhance crop productivity in various cropping systems. Moldboard plowing (MP) in the fall prior to the potato phase is a conventional practice in Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada, which leaves the soil prone to erosion and soil organic matter decline. Potato early dying disease complex (PED) is a major yield limiting factor in potato production in PEI. The objective of this four-year (2019–2022) study conducted in 14 commercial fields was to determine the effect of non-inversion shallow tillage (ST) in comparison with MP on PED pathogen population density in the spring at potato planting time and in the fall post-potato harvesting, and on PED disease severity. Root lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus spp., RLN) were detected in all fields. Verticillium dahliae was the predominant species in all fields, while V. albo-atrum was sporadically detected in a few samples. The population density of the RLN and V. dahliae varied among the fields. In the spring samples, V. dahliae density was significantly higher in 5 of the 14 fields with the ST treatment compared with MP. RLN density was significantly higher in one of the 14 fields with the ST. When averaged across all fields, V. dahliae density was 1.8-fold higher with ST than with MP (p = 0.018), but no differences were detected for RLN density between ST and MP. In the fall after the potato harvest, only two fields had significantly higher V. dahliae density with the ST than with MP, and no differences were detected for RLN density between ST and MP. When combined data across all fields were analyzed, no differences in pathogen population levels were detected between ST and MP for both V. dahliae and RLN. Higher PED severity was detected in three fields associated with ST. However, when disease ratings were averaged across all fields, no PED severity difference was detected between ST and MP. The PED severity was significantly positively related to the spring population density of V. dahliae and RLN, but not with the tillage regimes in this study. Further study is needed to determine the long-term effect of tillage regimes on soil health, disease development, soil disease suppressiveness, pathogen population dynamics and PED development in potato production.

The objective of this study was to evaluate potato growth, phosphorus (P) uptake, total and marketable yield response to multiple rates of P fertilizer applied at planting, emergence, and tuber initiation stages in 2019 and 2020. Varying pre-plant (P_pp) rates (0, 25, 49, 74 kg ha⁻¹ P) and two supplementary liquid P applications (0 and 12 kg ha⁻¹ P) at emergence (P_eme) and tuber initiation (P_ini) were tested. Initial Mehlich-3 soil P content varied from 128 to 160 mg kg⁻¹. There were no significant interactions among P_pp, P_eme, and P_ini for yield or P uptake across seasons. Tuber total yield ranged from 33.3 to 45.3 Mg ha⁻¹ across seasons. However, higher P_pp rates increased dry biomass, P uptake, and tuber yield, with no significant differences between 49 and 74 kg ha⁻¹ P rates. Liquid P applied at a rate of 12 kg ha⁻¹ of P during tuber initiation stage significantly increased potato total and marketable yield compared to no liquid P application in 2019. Despite relatively high initial soil P levels, added fertilizer enhanced yields, contradicting current recommendations. These findings suggest a need to reassess Mehlich-3 interpretations and further validate in-season liquid P use for broader application.

Late blight of potato, caused by Phytophthora infestans, is a major constraint to potato production. Early detection, coupled with a knowledge of the genotype, can ensure the timely implementation of optimal disease management strategies. In this study, we developed a new loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay designed to amplify the ypt1 gene for P. infestans which can readily distinguish P. infestans from other potato oomycetes pathogens such as P. erythroseptica, and Pythium ultimum within 10 min on a Genie II or III platform. Six other published LAMP assays were compared with our assay on a Genie II using the same concentration of primers used in the original published assays. On the Genie platform, our assay was more reliable than other assays based on specificity and sensitivity. Our assay did not detect P. mirabilis or P. phaseoli. The lower limit of detection of our assay was determined to be 0.001 ng using DNA from pure cultures and 0.05 ng using DNA from infected leaves. LAMP and quick DNA extraction technology, coupled with a portable platform such as the Genie II or III, enable the rapid on-site detection of P. infestans.

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is one of the crops worldwide produced under different climatic and cropping systems conditions. With the multitude of cultivars and variable relative maturity, numerous studies have shown that nitrogen management in potatoes is a key to tuber yield and quality. Most potato growers tend to apply high amounts of nitrogen fertilizer while yield is not always consistent with the applied nitrogen fertilizer rates. Thus, potato cropping system specialists have been developing critical nitrogen dilution curves across different environments and for different potato cultivars with quite large variability in the equations. This review aims to inventory the developed critical nitrogen dilution curves for potatoes worldwide and analysis the discrepancies. A literature search was performed using online search engines for 6 months using keywords such as nitrogen dilution curve, critical nitrogen dilution curves of potatoes. Published results collection was done for the well-known peer reviewed journals. The critical N concentration (Nc) is defined as the minimum nitrogen concentration for achieving maximum aboveground biomass at any time during the crop growing season and it is represented by an allometric function, i.e. Nc = aW^−b where W is the total shoot biomass [Mg dry matter (DM) in ha ⁻¹], Nc is the total N concentration in shoot (g kg ⁻¹ DM), and a and b are estimated parameters. The parameter “a” of all monitored critical nitrogen dilution curves falls within the range [1.5, 7] of which 50% of the parameter “a” falls within the range of [5, 5.5] and the parameter “b” falls within the range [0.15, 0.60] with a large variation. The parameters “a” and “b” are impacted by the potato genotype, environment, and the management practices. Moreover, the estimation procedures of the parameters “a” and “b” were different and impacted the magnitude of these parameters. Based on some recent studies, we recommend the use of the Bayesian hierarchical method or the pooled Bayesian hierarchical method to develop a unique critical nitrogen dilution curve for potatoes that includes several genotypes, environment, and management practices for nitrogen fertilizer application rate optimization, system profitability and sustainability while reducing soil and water pollution by the nitrate leaching due to over fertilization and inappropriate split and timing of the nitrogen fertilizer application.

Management of the Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) is reliant on conventional insecticides that can negatively affect non-target arthropods. Calantha™ (active ingredient: ledprona) is a sprayable double-stranded RNA biopesticide specific for L decemlineata proteasome subunit beta 5 gene that triggers the RNA-interference pathway and is designed to have limited non-target effects. To test this hypothesis, we conducted two years of field trials in Idaho, Wisconsin, and Maine comparing arthropod responses to different insecticide regimes, with and without Calantha, targeting the Colorado potato beetle. Comparisons of arthropod abundance among treatments showed no evidence of effects of Calantha on non-target arthropods, including beneficials (predators, parasitoids), “neutrals” (i.e., non-pests), and other beetle species. Conventional insecticides generally showed more non-target effects, and responses were always stronger for arthropods from vacuum samples than pitfall samples. Insecticide programs featuring Calantha, especially in rotation with other biorational products, may reduce pests while preserving beneficial arthropods and contribute to biological control of arthropod pests in potato fields.

The US Potato Genebank (USPG) has germplasm of a single crop, about 6,500 samples of tuber-bearing Solanum species. Despite many years of vigorous taxonomic efforts, 80 populations at USPG were indexed only as “Solanum spp.” as of 2022, indicating that the proper species name was unknown. DNA markers were used to match these populations to an array of 77 standard species. Populations were also grown to maturity in the field and determined using the latest taxonomic keys. Species determinations based on the closest DNA match were highly supported by existing records for ploidy and country of origin but only modestly by taxonomic keys (36%). For some unknown populations, a clear match to a standard species name could be made. But for others, the name assigned was only the closest of several similar species. The new species name assignments are now documented in USPG’s online database in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Assigning these genebank resources a definite species name provides a practical platform for deploying them for research and breeding.

Quality seed of the ideal size and type (i.e., whole-seed tubers or cut seed pieces) is critical in achieving uniform plant stands and optimal economic returns in commercial potato production. A survey assessed the performance of commercial seed cutting operations during 2021–22 to document the range of seed piece sizes planted in Washington. In addition, two field trials examined seed size performance (28, 42, 56, 70, 84, and 98 g (1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5 oz)) for Clearwater Russet, Ranger Russet, and Russet Burbank. Seed type performance (whole vs cut) was also assessed for Clearwater Russet. As seed size increased from 28 to 98 g for all varieties and seed types, early plant growth generally improved, average tuber weight decreased by 22%, and stem and tuber number per plant increased by 77% and 50%, respectively. Cut Clearwater Russet seed produced 7% higher yields and 5% more economic return than whole seed. Economic return peaked for Clearwater Russet with a seed weight of 56 g (2.0 oz). Economic return of Ranger Russet and Russet Burbank peaked when seed size was between 70–84 g (2.5 to 3.0 oz) for Russet Burbank and at 84 g (3.0 oz) for Ranger Russet. Due to a highly variable range in cut seed size found in the commercial seed lot survey, growers may have lost an estimated $297 ha⁻¹ or $15,000 pivot⁻¹ (51 ha) during 2021–22 compared to a hypothetical potato field planted with uniform, economically optimal, seed sizes. We conclude that growers should target adequate seed sizes and minimize under- and oversized seed pieces to produce the highest economic return for each variety.

The new potato variety INIA 333–CHUGAYNA, is the result of the joint work of the NGO Asociación Pataz, INIA and the International Potato Center, it was generated through traditional breeding and the use of the participatory varietal selection methodology, as a variety resilient to climate change with frost tolerance, resistance to late blight, compared to the improved variety INIA 302-Amarilis and the native varieties, Huevo de Indio. This new variety is also resilient to climate change, tolerant to frost, with field resistance to late blight, high tuber yield, low glycoalkaloid content and high quality for fresh consumption, adapted up to 4000 m above sea level. It was released in 2023 and officially registered in the national registry of commercial varieties of Peru. The new variety INIA 333-CHUGAYNA requires minimal use of fungicides and has a high economic profitability that will improve the living standards of small and medium-sized farmers in Peru. It can also be used as a parent in breeding programs in other countries in development, to confront climate change, especially frost.

Food access is a significant issue for rural households, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. Developing nations prioritize commercializing smallholder agriculture to reduce hunger and improve rural economies. Potato is vigorous for food security especially in the highland regions. The objectives of the study were to analyze the impact of potato commercialization on household consumption expenditure. This study used a sample of 390 households from the northwest part of Ethiopia in the South Gondar zone using multistage sampling to draw a representative sample. Data were collected through questionnaires. The average treatment effect on treated (commercialized) and untreated (non-commercialize) was 8786.77ETB and 1501.39ETB, respectively, and significant at one percent. This conclude that Potato commercialization impacts household consumption expenditure positively The study suggests the creation of suitable intervention mechanisms focusing on the aforementioned factors to enhance the performance of potato commercialization then improve welfare of the households.