Recent advances in potato research and development in Central Asia and the Caucasus

Carlo Carli, Editor

2008-1 Working Paper

Recent advances in potato research and development in Central Asia and the Caucasus

ISBN 978-92-9060-351-1 Germplasm Enhancement and Crop Improvement Division Working Paper No. 2008 - 1

3 International Potato Center • Working Paper 1

the Caucasus

Working Paper

Recent advances in potato research and development in Central Asia and

International Potato Center • Working Paper 1

4 Recent advances in potato research and development in Central Asia and the Caucasus © International Potato Center (CIP), 2008 ISBN 978-92-9060-351-1 CIP publications contribute important development information to the public arena. Readers are encouraged to quote or reproduce material from them in their own publications. As copyright holder CIP requests acknowledgement, and a copy of the publication where the citation or material appears. Please send a copy to the Communication and Public Awareness Department at the address below.

International Potato Center P.O.Box 1558, Lima 12, Peru cip@cgiar.org • www.cipotato.org Produced by the CIP Communication and Public Awareness Department (CPAD) Production Coordinator Cecilia Lafosse Design and Layout Elena Taipe and contributions from Graphic Arts April 2008

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Table of contents Recent advances in potato research & development in Central Asia and the Caucasus.............................................1 Preface........................................................................................................................................................................................................1 Brief Overview .........................................................................................................................................................................................1 Agricultural Production Systems......................................................................................................................................................3 Trends in the potato sector ................................................................................................................................................................3 Bibliographic References.....................................................................................................................................................................8 In-vitro multiplication and production of minitubers of CIP advanced virus-resistant clones in Uzbekistan. ....9 Abstract......................................................................................................................................................................................................9 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................................................................9 Materials & methods .......................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Results ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 11 Conclusions and discussion ............................................................................................................................................................ 12 Bibliographic References.................................................................................................................................................................. 16 Multiplication and first screening of advanced virus-resistant clones for multilocation trials in Uzbekistan... 17 Abstract................................................................................................................................................................................................... 17 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 17 Materials & methods .......................................................................................................................................................................... 18 Results ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 19 Conclusions and discussion ............................................................................................................................................................ 20 Bibliographic References.................................................................................................................................................................. 25 Study and multiplication of advanced virus-resistant potato clones for multilocation trials in Tajikistan........ 26 Abstract................................................................................................................................................................................................... 26 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 26 Materials & methods .......................................................................................................................................................................... 27 Results ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 28 Discussion and Future Plans ........................................................................................................................................................... 29 Bibliographic References.................................................................................................................................................................. 32 The Regional Potato Clonal Selection conducted in the Highlands of Tajikistan for the benefit of smallholders of Central Asia and the Caucasus region.................................................................................................................................... 33 Abstract................................................................................................................................................................................................... 33 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 33 Materials & methods .......................................................................................................................................................................... 35 Results ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 36 Conclusions and discussion ............................................................................................................................................................ 37 Bibliographic References.................................................................................................................................................................. 37 Evaluation of CIP advanced clones, late blight (Phytophthora infestans) resistant, in Georgia (Caucasus)...... 49 Abstract................................................................................................................................................................................................... 49 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 49 Materials & methods .......................................................................................................................................................................... 50 Results ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 52 Conclusions and discussion ............................................................................................................................................................ 53 iii

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Recent advances in potato research and development in Central Asia and the Caucasus Preface This document was prepared by the Potato Seed Production Specialist, based at the CIP-Liaison Office of Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and his partners in the CAC (Central Asia and Caucasus) region. In January 2005, CIP posted an International Research staff in the CGIAR Consortium led by ICARDA to take part in the “Collaborative Program for Sustainable Agricultural Development in Central Asia and the Caucasus”, which started operating in 1998. Currently, 9 CGIAR Centers1 and three other International Research Organizations, such as ICBA, AVRDC and MSU, are members of the Consortium.

To address research needs formulated by partner Institutions and describe research activities conducted in the region, this document consists of a short description of agriculture and potato status in the CAC region followed by a series of working papers that have been prepared in 2006-7. The objective is to increase awareness on potato research conducted in the region that represents a new acquisition for CIP. In this region, potato has the potential to contribute to poverty reduction since it is mostly grown by small holder farmers who are among the poorest groups in CAC. Brief Overview The Central Asia and the Caucasus region is approximately located between 35-55° N to 40-90° E. It occupies a total land area of 4,180,500 km2 of which around 70% (2,926,000 km2) is agricultural land (Ryan et al, 2004). However, only 14% of this area is under arable and permanent crops, the remainder being under permanent pasture. A vast area is covered by deserts, mountains and steppes. Climate is strongly continental and subject to extremes of cold winters and hot dry summers, which limit cropping options. Rainfall is variable and uncertain, and the region is subject to periodic droughts. Most rains come during the spring, but these are generally scarce, with less than 40 mm per month. Only 30% of the total cropped area is irrigated. As it was stated in the recently organized Research Need Assessment Meeting held in Tashkent for CGIAR-CAC (79 March, 2007), the portion of saline soils of Uzbekistan has increased up to 60% of cultivated land in the last decade, interesting almost half of the irrigated land of the country as a consequence of nonobservance of recommended cultural practices and improper utilization of irrigation. In Kazakhstan, out of 1.3 million hectares of irrigated cropland, salinity affected area

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covers about 470,000 ha (36%). In Uzbekistan, salinity affected areas are concentrated in the regions of Khorezm, Autonomous Republic of Karakalpakistan, Bukhara, Sir Darya, while in Kazakhstan, are present in the Aral sea basin including all cotton growing areas of South Kazakhstan Province as well as rice growing area in Kzylorda Province. In Tajikistan, about 60 thousand hectares of land are affected by salinity, which is 8.5% of all irrigated land in the country. This situation was further aggravated by two successive years of drought (2000 and 2001) that hit all Central Asia indistinctly. Under such conditions of degradation of water resources and related salinization of irrigated land it is difficult to obtain good yields from most of the crops, including potato. In particular, as it has been observed in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, there appears a correlation between salinity affected areas and presence of malnutrition (iron deficiency) among the population, evaluated as high as 90 percent for women of childbearing age and 61 percent for children (Giebel et al., 1998).

With a total population of about 74 million and a gross national income per capita declining by an average of 40% between 1991 and 2003, six of the CAC countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) are now classified as least income countries.

Some 20% of the population is living on less than $US 2 a day, compared with just around 3% prior to independence (ADB, 2006). In short, while many other regions in the developing world are maintaining or improving their agricultural productivity and, in many cases, achieving economic growth and reductions in poverty, the CAC region, on the contrary, has witnessed rapid declines in agricultural output and an unprecedented increase in the extent and degree of poverty in its population. Living standards have already declined and large sections of the population, especially in rural areas, are worse off than they were under USSR. The region is in danger of spiraling into declining agricultural production, increasing food insecurity and poverty (3).

Although potato has always been an important food commodity in Central Asia and the Caucasus (CAC) region, the potato research and development system in the region has fallen into isolation and neglect since 1990. This has resulted in a loss of valuable local and old Russian varieties, limited supply of quality seed tubers, decreased productivity and increased post-harvest losses. In particular, with the collapse of USSR and consequent break down of former seed supplies, seed potatoes started to be imported from Europe to replace the seed no longer available from Russia and contiguous republics and with the imported seed, old local cultivars were replaced by the new European varieties, which lack needed resistance and adaptive traits, and render farmers largely dependent on expensive imported seed. The large majority of potatoes displayed on the

1

They are: Bioversity International, CIMMYT, CIP, ICARDA, ICRISAT, IFPRI, ILRI, IRRI and IWMI.

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local markets are now all of Dutch and German origin, with a small percentage (<5%) represented by local and Russian varieties.

Agricultural Production Systems Cotton and wheat monocultures have been prevailing in the lowlands of Central Asia where intense pressure to meet â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;state ordersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for the crops has virtually decimated the concept of sustainable use of land resources for crop production. As a consequence, arable land resources have come under serious threat of soil erosion, loss of soil fertility and organic matter due to over grazing, expansion of cropped area, and increasing secondary salinization and waterlogging in the irrigated areas. The improved availability of abiotic stress tolerant potato varieties would encourage farmers to expand potato cultivation in the lowlands so as to create viable alternatives to the traditional mono-cropping patterns.

In the lowlands of most of CAC countries, potato is cultivated in a dual cropping system often practiced under irrigated conditions and, therefore, highly dependent on regular water supply. In the first cropping season, with planting between February and March, and harvesting in MayJune, only early maturing varieties are cultivated. During the second cropping season, potatoes are cultivated immediately after wheat, with mid-early maturing varieties planted at the end of June-beginning of July, and early maturing varieties planted towards mid-July. Under certain conditions (in the lowlands of Surkandarya region, Uzbekistan, and Central and Southern Tajikistan), characterized by a long cropping season and mild winters, planting is carried out in February and sometimes in November-December. The main cropping season is, however, practised in the foothills and highland areas where mid-late and late maturing varieties are cultivated with planting between April-June and harvest between September-October. Generally, markets offer prime prices for early crops harvested in May-June, for which special varieties are grown (i.e. Impala, Agata, Agave, Nevskyi, etc.).

Trends in the potato sector The Central Asian and Caucasus region produces about 7.1 million tons of potatoes on about 507,000 hectares (Table 1, Graphs 1 and 2). The overall average yield is about 14.0 t/ha, with Tajikistan and Armenia reporting the highest productivity of about 18.5 and 16.4 t/ha, respectively (Table 1, Graph 3). Normally, productivity is low because average yields are only 4.6 times the amount of potatoes used as seed.

Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Georgia have been increasing their cultivated area in the last ten years (1996-2005). The potential of potato cultivation in Turkmenistan still remains low because, in spite of the highest increase in cultivated area (+650%) among the eight countries in R E C E N T

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the last ten years, this trend was not accompanied by a corresponding increase of yield (-5.7%). In Armenia and Kazakhstan, the cultivated area has not as much increased as the production, indicating that the increased yield has compensated for the decreased cultivated area.

Kazakhstan is the largest potato producer in the region with 165,000 hectares cultivated (2005) and a production of 2.3 million tons of potatoes. It is followed by Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan. In 2005, for the first time since their independence, the total cultivated area in these countries over passed 500 000 hectares2, representing an increase of 36.2% compared to 1996.

On the other hand, production increased more than the double (87.7%) in the same period (19962005), while the overall average yield augmented by 37.2% ranging from 10.20 to 14.0 t/ha.

In this region potato is a very important staple and cash crop, so popular that it is called the “second bread”. In terms of consumption, it comes third after wheat and rice in Uzbekistan, but second in the other countries and its importance is gradually increasing. The per capita consumption is on average of 96.2 kg/year (Table 1, Graph 4), ranging from 31.2 to 264.1 kg/capita/year, in Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan, respectively. Potato is the major crop in the mountain areas of countries like Armenia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, bringing a high nutritive value to the daily diet of local populations.

Many consumers regret the time when “old” Russian varieties having both some appreciated organoleptic characteristics (mealy cooking texture) and tolerance to stressful conditions (warm temperatures, erratic moisture) were available on the local markets. The availability of potato varieties having such abiotic stress tolerant characters would help to address the food shortage in the medium to long-term and improve countries’ ability to mitigate the impacts of future droughts.

2

As a matter of comparison, the potato cultivated area in the countries of South America, center of origin of potato in the world, amounted to a total of about 874,000 hectares in 2005 (FAOSTAT).

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Figure 1.

Potato cultivated area (1996 – 2005).

Potato cultivated area (1996 - 2005) 600 000

Potato area (ha)

500 000

400 000

1996

300 000

2005 200 000

100 000

Countries

TOTAL

Uzbekistan

Turkmenistan

Tajikistan

Kyrgyzstan

Kazakhstan

Georgia

Azerbaijan

Armenia

0

Figure 2.

Potato Production (1996 – 2005).

Potato Production (1996 - 2005) 12 000 000

8 000 000

6 000 000

4 000 000

2005 1996

2 000 000

Countries

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Turkmenistan

Tajikistan

Kyrgyzstan

Kazakhstan

Georgia

Azerbaijan

0 Armenia

Potato production (MT)

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Table 1. Central Asia and the Caucasus region: Trends in the potato sector (1996-2005).

Country

Area (ha) 1996

Production (MT)

2005

%

1996

2005

Yield (t/ha) %

1996

2005

Population (mln.) %

2005

Potato consumption (kg/capita/year) 2005

Armenia

32 645

34 439

5.5

426 163

564 212

32.4

13.05

16.40

25.7

3.0

188.1

Azerbaijan

21 168

70 675

234.0

214 556

870 000

305.5

10.10

12.30

21.8

8.4

103.6

Georgia

23 500

36 000

53.2

285 600

420 000

47.1

12.10

11.70

-3.3

4.5

93.3

Kazakhstan

187 500

165 000

-12.0

1 656 490

2 300 000

38.8

8.80

13.90

57.9

14.8

155.4

Kyrgyzstan

49 200

89 000

81.0

562 366

1 400 000

149.0

11.40

15.70

37.7

5.3

264.1

Tajikistan

10 000

30 000

200.0

107 700

554 948

415.0

10.80

18.50

71.3

6.5

83.4

4 000

30 000

650.0

21 300

150 000

604.2

5.30

5.00

-5.7

4.8

31.2

44 300

52 000

17.4

513 600

850 000

65.5

11.60

16.30

40.5

26.6

32.0

372 313

507 114

36.2

7 109 160

87.7

----

----

----

73.9

----

----

96.2

Turkmenistan Uzbekistan TOTAL MEAN

----

----

----

3 787 775 ----

----

----

10.20

13.72

34.5

Sources: FAOSTAT (1996-2005).

UN Population Division: Population Database (2005 est.).

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Bibliographic References •

ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (ADB). 2006. Asian Development Bank Outlook 2006. Printed in the Philippines. ISSN: 1655-4809

•

Giebel, H.N., D. Suleymanova and W.E. Gregory. 1998. Anaemia in Young Children of the Muynak District of Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan: Prevalence, Type, and Correlates. Am.

Journal of Public Health. 88: 805-807.

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Ryan, J., P.L.G. Vlek and R.S. Paroda (eds.). 2004. Agriculture in Central Asia: Research for Development. Proceedings of a Symposium held at the American Society of Agronomy Annual Meetings at Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, Nov. 10-14 2002. Zentrum für Entwicklungsforschung (ZEF) Universität Bonn, International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Aleppo, Syria. xviii + 361 pp. ISBN: 92-9127-156-3.

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IN-VITRO MULTIPLICATION AND PRODUCTION OF MINITUBERS OF CIP ADVANCED VIRUS-RESISTANT CLONES IN UZBEKISTAN 3

/// Carli C., Khalikov D. , E. Holmuratov, G. Nasirova

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Abstract In-vitro plantlets belonging to 34 advanced virus-resistant clones supplied by CIP to NARS in Uzbekistan in April 2005 were multiplied on a contract basis by the Biotechnology Laboratory of Tashkent State Agrarian University (TSAU). Once the screenhouse built by CIP in the premises of TSAU was ready, a total of 4 927 in-vitro plantlets were transplanted in beds for the production of disease-free minitubers under controlled conditions, between January and March 2006. A total of 31 210 minitubers were produced. Plantlets transplanted in January gave better yield than those transplanted in March with an average of 9 vs. 2.4 minitubers/plant.

Key words: Potato, Solanum tuberosum, plant tissue culture, MS salts, potato viruses, abiotic stress, potato propagation.

Introduction Uzbek NARS received from CIP 34 advanced virus-resistant clones in form of in-vitro germplasm materials in April 2005. In-vitro plantlets were multiplied on a contract basis by the Biotechnology Laboratory of Tashkent State Agrarian University (TSAU) and thereafter transplanted for minituber production in the 350 m2 screenhouse built by CIP in the premises of the University, between January and March 2006. The selection of virus resistant clones is a priority for Uzbekistan due to the high virus pressure existing in many agricultural environments of the country. Some of these elite breeding lines were developed by the national potato programs of Argentina (INTA) and Chile (INIA), situated in long day environments. They are characterized by high levels of resistance to viruses, which are the major cause of degeneration of vegetative potato seed, are heat tolerant and possess the market characteristics now being sought by consumers and merchants to meet the emerging demand of the fast food industry. One of the varieties (‘Achirana-INTA’) was successful in northern China following its introduction by CIP in 1979, and more recently, several were shown to produce well under the subtropical conditions of Georgia (Bonierbale, 2003). Some of the introduced CIP elite breeding lines have the highest available Fe and Zn content.

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Carlo Carli, Potato Seed Production Specialist, and Durbek Khalikov, Assistant Agronomist, CIP-Liaison Office for CAC region, CGIAR-CAC, Murtazaeva Str. 6, 700000 Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Tel: (998-71) 137 17 82; Fax: (998-71) 120 71 25. E-mail: c.carli@cgiar.org; Web: www.cipotato.org

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In Uzbekistan, as in many countries of Central Asia and the Caucasus region, western-introduced potato varieties represent about 90 per cent of the market, the rest being covered by local or old Russian varieties. The main objective of introducing and testing CIP-derived clones is, therefore, to enhance local breeding program and enrich national breeding stock by selecting some high yielding, short and mid-maturing, heat tolerant varieties which could be fit into the production system of the lowlands as a second crop after wheat, with planting in June-July and harvest in October-November. This will enhance flexibility of the agricultural system that will receive benefit from a crop that everybody considers as a viable alternative to the traditional mono-cropping patterns based on cotton and wheat.

Materials and methods After a necessary period of acclimatization, the in-vitro plantse(two/clone) were multiplied in the premises of the Biotechnology Laboratory of TSAU. A sterilized medium appropriate for the crop in multiplication was used, consisting of MS salts (Murashige & Skoog, 1962) with the following additions: 2 mg/l glycine, 0.5 mg/l nicotinic acid, 0.5 mg/l pyridoxine, 0.4 mg/l thiamine, 2.5% sucrose, 3.0 g agar (Dodds et al., 1986). Six to eight explants were transferred in glass pots about 10 cm diametre. Once sealed with aluminium foil, the pots were placed in two growth rooms at 22°C and 16 hours daylength.

In the meantime, a screenhouse, about 350 m2 capacity, was being constructed in the premises of the University, close to the Biotech Laboratory. The aphid-proof screen made of strengthened nylon was imported from India thanks to the assistance of CIP-SWCA. The screenhouse was equipped with special electric bulbs (500 W each) to ensure extra-light conditions during winter time, and a heating system with pipes placed inside the structure and allowing free circulation of hot water produced by means of an electric heating system, although rudimentary. Attempts to get connection to the city gas pipeline did not succeed. Approaching winter time, the whole screenhouse was covered with a polythene sheet to protect the internal environment from too low temperatures. Approaching spring time, the polythene sheet was raised from the sides during the day so as to allow fresh air circulation inside the structure.

Once the infrastructure was ready, in-vitro plants were transplanted in beds at the density of 50 in-vitro plants/m2 (20 x 10 cm) using a wooden marker that made planting faster and easier The substrate was composed of subsoil, sand and well-decomposed organic manure (1:1:1). The following fertilizers were added and thoroughly mixed with the substrate: 35 g of monoammonium phosphate and 30 g of potassium sulfate per square metre. Immediately after 4

Elmurod Holmuratov, former Director, and Galina Nasirova, Biotechnology Specialist, Biotechnology Dept. of Tashkent

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transplanting and until the plants were 15-20 cm high, they were watered with a solution containing 4 g of monoammonium phosphate dissolved in one litre of water, twice a week. This favoured root development and strength. At the first hilling up, 20 g of ammonium sulfate were applied per square metre. Watering was done when needed. To carry out the second hilling up, TSAU staff was trained to use two pieces of plywood so as to easily separate the two neighbouring rows and add soil substrate in between.

Approaching plant maturity, plant haulms were cut following a standardized method (Davies et al., 2000; Hutchinson et al., 2003; Essah et al., 2005). About two weeks later, minitubers were ready for harvesting. At harvesting, seed tubers were graded in three calibres: >40 mm, 20-40 mm and <20 mm. Minitubers larger than 20 mm were meant for further field multiplication, while those less than that calibre were considered for further planting in seedbeds at a high density.

Laboratory staff was provided with manuals translated in Russian and concerning potato micropropagation. A special attention was paid in explaining sanitation procedures all along the process, from the laboratory to the screenhouse. The importance of using calcium hypochlorite and soapy water as means to prevent contamination by contact viruses and viroids and wearing of labcoats during laboratory and greenhouse activities were stressed since these fundamental practices were almost unknown. This problem was observed in many other countries of Former Soviet Union (FSU).

Results Frequent electric failures and drops in voltage caused important damages to the old air conditioners that were consequently replaced with new ones in the two growth chambers of the laboratory, in July 2005. As a result, the abrupt increase of temperature generated inside the growth chambers caused an infestation with fungal diseases on many in-vitro plants that were consequently eliminated.

The proper implementation of the program encountered some other difficulties that delayed the beginning of activities, namely: the slow speed in the construction of the screenhouse, the lack of connection with the city gas pipeline, which would have ensured the proper functioning of the heating system since November 2005, disagreement reached with the new University Rector about the location of the screenhouse, despite predecessorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s agreement, and, finally, the death of a laboratory technician due to electrocution for improper isolation of electric cables, which took place in the laboratory in April 2006.

Agrarian University (TSAU).

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The successful transplanting of in-vitro clones was finally done in two stages, 10 to 25 January, and 27 February to 17 March 17, 2006. Plants were hilled up twice. Harvest of potato plants issued from first transplanted in-vitro plantlets started on May 22 and continued until May 27. Yield was equivalent to 9 minitubers per plant with an average tuber weight of 5.1 g (see Table 1).

On the other hand, plants issued from the second transplanting, with harvest in July, yielded less giving an average of 2.4 minitubers per plant (see Table 2). This was most probably influenced by the high temperatures that normally occur from May onward.

In total, 31 210 minitubers of the total weight of 160.45 kg were produced from 4 927 in-vitro plants with an average tuber weight equivalent to 5.1 g.

Minitubers harvested in May were disinfected by soaking them in 0.3% boric acid solution for 30 minutes. Once dried, they were treated with GA3 (1 ppm) and Thiourea (10 g/liter of water), on May 29, to break dormancy for further multiplication at the mid-elevation station of Pskem.

Plants belonging to clones 397054.3, 397073.16 and 392780.1 shown to be the most susceptible to heat during growth in the screenhouse. In fact, at temperatures above 30°C, leaves were less turgid and color turning yellow. On the contrary, clones 390663.8, 391180.6, 397029.21, 397035.26, 397965.28, 397077.16, 397099.6, 720087, 720088, 720089, 720090, 720140, 720141 and 720147 seemed to be more tolerant to heat than the others.

Conclusions and discussion The high temperatures reached in Tashkent during the period May-September make absolutely compulsory transplanting of in-vitro plantlets and further plant growth during the remaining part of the year, under conditions of controlled temperature and extended day length. In the country, especially in the Tashkent belt, there is a tradition of growing vegetables (tomato, cucumber, etc.) during winter time under controlled conditions and, therefore, we considered this opportunity also valid for potato. Of course, this technology, to be successful, requires the regular supply of electricity and gas to ensure proper functioning of the heating system and provide potato plants with the right photoperiod. However, under these conditions costs of production are undoubtedly increased, leaving scope to other less expensive and risky solutions. It is, therefore, questionable whether this technology would have a future in Tashkent. It would be, therefore, advisable to move the entire infrastructure (laboratory, screenhouses) to the highlands where temperature is less constraining during the growing season. To do so, the Government should create the conditions for such transfer by building proper infrastructure in situ and posting staff.

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The only inconvenience would be that these sites are situated far from Tashkent and, therefore, of difficult supervision and control.

Furthermore, in the absence of a private sector able to implement this challenging activity, it would be advisable that the Government allocates a special budget for this kind of activity, thus avoiding current and chronic under funding situations. Tissue culture for its nature (need for plant stock management, timely provision of chemicals and reagents, regular supply of electricity, dedication of staff, routinely work, etc.) is more tailored for the private sector as, under public sector management, it encounters serious difficulties of implementation. Our attempt to get the parastato involved (i.e. the seed company â&#x20AC;&#x153;Uzkartoshkanavuruglariâ&#x20AC;?), which is provided with its own budget, may be probably successful in the near future. For the above reasons, this technology would seem more appropriate for germplasm multiplication rather than seed production, in order to allow a faster propagation of elite breeding lines under disease-free conditions.

Some modifications to the applied technology under screenhouse conditions will be considered in the near future, especially those concerning plant density that will be brought to 20 in-vitro plants per square meter (50 x 10 cm). This will result in a less constraining implementation of activities by staff, especially at hilling up time, since the method used was applied by workers with some difficulty. As a consequence, we expect a higher average tuber weight than that obtained this year.

The rehabilitation of an existing cold store of the capacity of about 100 m3 should be also envisaged otherwise it will be difficult to keep minitubers under proper physiological conditions until planting time due to the high temperatures recorded in spring. Playing with temperatures (thermic chocks), it will then be easy to break dormancy, thus avoiding application of chemicals like thiourea that has been recognized to transmit cancer to human beings.

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Table 1. Tashkent State Agrarian University: production of minitubers issued from in-vitro clones supplied by CIP (first transplanting stage: 10-25 January, 2006).

NARS code

# CIP

Transpl.

Date

C-1

388611.22

18.01.06

No. of in-vitro plants 104

C-2

388615.22

17.01.06

104

C-3

388676.1

17.01.06

104

C-4

388972.22

19.01.06

104

C-5

390478.9

16.01.06

104

C-7

391180.6

19.01.06

104

C-8

392780.1

21.01.06

104

C-10

392797.22

25.01.06

104

C-11

397029.21

25.01.06

60

C-12

397030.31

15.01.06

104

C-13

397035.26

20.01.06

104

C-14

397065.28

20.01.06

104

C-16

397073.16

19.01.06

104

C-17

397077.16

21.01.06

104

C-18

397099.4

21.01.06

104

14

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P O T A T O

Tuber Size (mm) 20-40 mm <20 mm Total 20-40 mm <20 mm Total >40 mm 20-40 mm <20 mm Total >40 mm 20-40 mm <20 mm Total >40 mm 20-40 mm <20 mm Total >40 mm 20-40 mm <20 mm Total 20-40 mm <20 mm Total 20-40 mm <20 mm Total >40 mm 20-40 mm <20 mm Total 20-40 mm <20 mm Total 20-40 mm <20 mm Total >40 mm 20-40 mm <20 mm Total 20-40 mm <20 mm Total >40 mm 20-40 mm <20 mm Total 20-40 mm <20 mm Total

R E S E A R C H

A N D

No. of tubers (pieces)

Total weight (kg)

160 537 697 89 988 1,077 12 134 455 601 11 200 934 1,145 12 114 414 540 8 131 548 687 88 600 688 52 203 255 63 148 317 528 241 1,142 1,383 145 1,400 1,545 64 190 242 496 185 2,303 2,488 10 172 1,287 1,469 137 700 837

3.2 2.4 5.6 1.2 3.0 4.2 0.4 2.4 2.5 5.3 0.4 3.7 4.1 8.2 0.5 2.1 1.9 4.5 0.2 2.5 2.3 5.0 1.8 2.7 4.5 1.0 1.2 2.2 2.7 2.8 1.7 7.2 3.2 4.7 7.9 2.4 3.9 6.3 3.8 3.2 0.75 7.75 2.3 4.2 6.5 0.5 2.8 3.9 7.2 5.1 4.0 9.1

D E V E L O P M E N T

Average tuber weight (g) 20.0 4.5 8.0 13.5 3.0 3.9 33.0 18.0 5.5 8.8 36.0 18.5 4.4 7.2 42.0 18.4 4.6 8.3 25.0 19.0 4.2 7.3 20.4 4.5 6.5 19.2 5.9 8.6 43.0 19.0 5.4 13.6 13.3 4.1 5.7 16.5 2.8 4.0 59.0 16.8 3.0 15.6 12.4 1.8 2.6 50.0 16.2 3.0 4.9 37.0 5.7 10.8

C I P

â&#x20AC;˘

G E R M P L A S M

E N H A N C E M E N T

A N D

C-20

397054.3

21.01.06

104

C-21

720087

15.01.06 23.01.06

65

C-22

720088

10.01.06 21.01.06

104

C-23

720089

16.01.06

60

C-24

720090

15.01.06

156

C-25

720140

15.01.06

112

C-26

720141

14.01.06

104

C-27

720139

22.01.06

104

C-28

720147

15.01.06 23.01.06

104

C-29

720148

18.01.06

104

C-30

720149

25.01.06

104

C-33

720189

18.01.06

104

C-34

720157

13.01.06

104

C-34

720157

13.03.06

55

TOTAL

C R O P

I M P R O V E M E N T

W O R K I N G

20-40 mm <20 mm Total 20-40 mm <20 mm Total 20-40 mm <20 mm Total 20-40 mm <20 mm Total 20-40 mm <20 mm Total 20-40 mm <20 mm Total 20-40 mm <20 mm Total 20-40 mm <20 mm Total 20-40 mm <20 mm Total 20-40 mm <20 mm Total 20-40 mm <20 mm Total >40 mm 20-40 mm <20 mm Total 20-40 mm <20 mm Total 20-40 mm <20 mm Total

2,900

R E C E N T

D I V I S I O N

A D V A N C E S

P O T A T O

2 0 0 8 - 1

173 2,400 2,573 100 780 880 61 1,020 1,081 18 202 220 81 1,300 1,381 42 825 867 81 640 721 110 588 698 57 420 477 42 408 450 75 428 503 10 115 770 895 22 675 697 52 305 357 26,236

----

I N

P A P E R

R E S E A R C H

A N D

D E V E L O P M E N T

3.8 6.3 10.1 2.1 2.1 4.2 1.2 2.2 3.4 0.15 0.3 0.45 1.0 2.7 3.7 0.4 1.6 2.0 0.6 1.2 1.8 2.0 2.2 4.2 0.7 1.5 2.2 0.5 0.8 1.3 1.1 1.2 2.3 0.3 2.3 2.3 4.9 0.4 1.4 1.8 0.6 0.35 0.95 134.7

15

21.9 2.6 3.9 21.0 2.6 4.7 19.6 2.1 3.1 8.3 1.4 2.0 12.3 2.0 2.6 4.5 1.9 2.3 7.4 1.8 2.4 18.0 3.7 6.0 12.3 3.5 4.6 11.7 1.9 2.8 14.6 2.8 4.5 30.0 20.0 2.9 5.4 18.0 2.0 2.5 11.5 1.1 2.7 5.1

C I P

•

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Table 2. Second transplanting stage (27/02 – 17/03, 2006) with harvest in June-July, 2006.

NARS code C-1 C-3 C-6 C-7 C-9 C-12 C-13 C-15 C-17 C-18 C-19 C-20

# CIP 388611.22 388676.1 390663.8 391180.6 392781.1 397030.31 397035.26 397069.11 397077.16 397099.4 397099.6 397054.3

C-21 C-26 C-28 C-29 C-30 C-32 C-33 TOTAL

720087 720141 720147 720148 720149 720188 720189

Transpl.

Date

Harvesting date

17.03 14.03 27.02 14.03 14.03 14.03 16.03 27.02 16.03 10.03 15.03 13.03 16.03 10.03 13.03 15.03 27.02 14.03 15.03 15.03

17.07 13.07 12.07 13.07 12.07 13.07 17.06 12.07 17.07 12.07 14.07 13.07 12.07 13.07 14.07 17.07 13.07 14.07 14.07

No. of in-vitro plants 95 130 40 104 100 100 108 104 188 95 58 112 112 79 95 100 104 120 108 75 2,027

No. of tubers (pieces) 91 80 60 386 544 64 347 63 224 162 35 573

Total weight (kg) 0.63 0.54 0.20 2.41 1.27 0.33 4.26 0.19 2.33 0.94 0.10 2.00

Average tuber weight (g) 6.9 6.7 3.3 6.2 2.3 5.1 12.3 3.0 10.4 5.8 2.8 3.5

145 490 419 374 450 225 242 4,974

0.80 1.49 1.67 1.51 2.22 1.29 1.57 25.75

5.5 3.0 4.0 4.0 4.9 5.7 6.5 5.2

Bibliographic References •

Bonierbale, M. 2003. LD-Varieties CAC-2003. CIP, Lima, Peru. (Unpub.).

•

Davies, K. and F. Milne. 2000. Potato haulm destruction in conventional and organic crops.

Technical note T491, SAC Edinburgh, 4 p.

•

Dodds, J.H., D. Silva-Rodriguez and J.E. Bryan. 1986. Transport, receipt and propagation of invitro potato plantlets. International Potato Center (CIP). pp. 13. ISBN 92-9060-087-X.

•

Essah, S.Y.C., D.G. Holm and R.D. Davidson. 2005. Timing vine kill to manipulate yield, tuber size distribution and quality of two red potatoes. Annual meetings of the Potato Association of America. July 17-21, 2005. Calgary, Alberta, Canada. [Abstract].

•

Hutchinson, C.M. and W.M. Stall. 2003. Potato vine killing or desiccation. HS925 Document, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

•

Murashige T. and F. Skoog. 1962. A revised medium for rapid growth and bio-assays with tobacco tissue cultures. Physiologia Plantarum. 15 473-497.

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MULTIPLICATION AND FIRST SCREENING OF ADVANCED VIRUS-RESISTANT CLONES FOR MULTILOCATION TRIALS IN UZBEKISTAN 5

/// Carli C., Khalikov D. Abstract

Potato minitubers belonging to 27 out of 34 CIP elite breeding lines issued from in-vitro germplasm supplied by CIP, Lima, in April 2005, and harvested under screenhouse conditions in Tashkent in May 2006, were multiplied in the fields of a research station based at mid-elevation (1 600 m asl), at the border with Kazakhstan. After breaking dormancy with GA3 and Thiourea, the minitubers were planted from the end of June up to mid-July, 2006. Observations were conducted during the growing season. About 1 029 kg of high quality seed potatoes belonging to the 27 elite breeding lines were harvested on October 19 and November 04. Among them, the most productive were clones 720150, 392780.1, 397030.31, 720147 and 397077.16 with respectively 20.3, 11.3, 9.5 and 8.0 tubers/plant. The average tuber weight varied from 25.5 (clone 397077.16) to 108.9 g (clone 720149), with an overall mean weight equivalent to 57.1 g. Clones 720150, 388611.22, 388615.22, 390478.9, 391180.6, 392797.22, 397030.31, 397054.3, 397077.16, 392780.1 and 720189 should be ranked among the early bulking materials. Clone 397054.3 is also characterized by the highest available iron and zinc content. Only four clones (388972.22, 397030.31, 397073.16 and 397077.16) produced sufficient planting materials to undertake multilocation trials in four-five locations of Uzbekistan in 2007.

Key words: Potato, Solanum tuberosum, plant tissue culture, dormancy breaking, potato viruses, biotic and abiotic stress, potato propagation, Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, sierozem.

Introduction Uzbek NARS received from CIP 34 advanced virus-resistant clones in form of in-vitro germplasm materials in April 2005. In-vitro plantlets were multiplied on a contract basis by the Biotechnology Laboratory of Tashkent State Agrarian University (TSAU) and thereafter transplanted in beds for minituber production under screenhouse conditions in the premises of the same University, between January and March 2006. The selection of virus resistant clones is a priority for Uzbekistan due to the high virus pressure existing in many agricultural environments of the country. Some of the elite breeding lines were developed by the national potato programs of Argentina (INTA) and Chile (INIA), situated in long day environments. They are characterized by a 5

Carlo Carli, Regional Seed Specialist, and Durbek Khalikov, Assistant Agronomist, CIP-Liaison Office for CAC region, CGIAR-CAC, Murtazaeva Str. 6, 700000 Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Tel: (998-71) 137 17 82;

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high level of resistance to viruses, which are the major cause of degeneration of vegetative potato seed, are heat tolerant and possess the market characteristics now being sought by consumers and merchants to meet the emerging demand of the fast food industry. One of the varieties (â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Achirana-INTAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;) was successful in northern China following its introduction by CIP in 1979, and more recently, several were shown to produce well under the subtropical conditions of Georgia (Bonierbale, 2003). Furthermore, some of the introduced CIP elite breeding lines have the highest available Fe and Zn content.

In Uzbekistan, as in other countries of Central Asia and the Caucasus region, western-introduced potato varieties represent about 90 per cent of the market, the rest being covered by local or old Russian varieties. The main objective of introducing and testing CIP-derived clones is to enhance local breeding program and enrich national breeding stock by selecting some high yielding, early and mid-maturing, heat tolerant varieties, which could be grown in the dual cropping system of the lowlands and fit into the production system as a second crop after wheat, with planting in June-July and harvest in October-November.

Materials and methods Minitubers issued from in-vitro plants belonging to 27 CIP elite breeding lines, grown under screenhouse conditions in the premises of TSAU, and harvested between 22-27 May, 2006, were planted in single or double rows at 70 cm x 25 cm spacing in the fields of a research station situated at mid-elevation level (1 600 m asl), about 200 km from Tashkent, in two steps: first planting was on June 28-30, and second planting on July 12-13, 2006. One month before planting, minitubers were treated with GA3 (1 ppm) and Thiourea (10 g/liter of water), to break dormancy following the same methodology recommended by several authors (Bryan, 1987; Rehman et al., 2003). Prior to planting, fertilizers in form of ammonium sulfate (21N: 26 g/linear metre), and monoammonium phosphate (11N - 46P2O5: 27 g/lm) were applied along the rows and thoroughly mixed with the soil. Ammonium sulfate was split in two applications: half amount before planting and half before the first hilling-up. The standard fertilization formula consisted of: 120 N - 177 P2O5. Some of the clones with seed tubers of very small size were planted in a special nethouse at the spacing of 45 x 20 cm, on July 12, 2006.

In Pskem, soil is a typical eroded sierozem with a pH equivalent to 6.2. Results of other soils analyses are herewith reported.

Fax: (998-71) 120 71 25. E-mail: c.carli@cgiar.org; Web: www.cipotato.org 18

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Table 1. Results of soil analyses, Pskem, 2006.

N-NO3

P2O5

K2O

(mg/kg)

(mg/kg)

(mg/kg)

35.2

63.7

396.7

C/N (%) 1.2917

Pskem is in the second subzone (foothill areas of Tashkent and Samarkand) of the northern climatic zone with sierozems and sierozem meadow soils, and a low salt content (FAO, 2003). The ground water contains little salt (1 to 3 g/litre); the vegetative period is of 200 days; the sum of temperatures does not exceed 3 600°C to 4 000°C; the amount of rainfall is 360 to 400 mm a year, falling mostly in the winter and early spring.

At the beginning, furrow irrigation was provided at weekly intervals and, after the second hillingup, every ten-fourteen days. Crop protection consisted of three applications of the insecticide Gaucho (imidacloprid) at the rate of 0.16 kg/ha, to control Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa

decemlineata), the major potato pest in Central Asia. Haulm killing was practiced on September 28 (90 days after planting), October 07 and 20, once about 70% of tubers reached the seed size, following a standardized method (Davies et al., 2000; Hutchinson et al., 2003; Essah et al., 2005), and clones harvested on October 18 and November 04, 2006. Each clone was harvested and bagged separately. At harvest, data were recorded on number of plants harvested, number of tubers per clone, total weight (kg), weight of undersized tubers (less than 25 mm, in kg), weight of seed-sized tubers (between 25 and 55 mm, in kg), weight of commercial tubers (>55 mm, in kg), average tuber weight (g), yield per plant (kg), number of tubers per plant, and presence of diseases or abnormalities. Immediately after harvesting, tubers were disinfected against soilborne diseases by soaking them in a 0.3% boric acid solution (3 g boric acid in 1 litre water) for 30 minutes, dried and sent to the cold store belonging to the State Organization called “Uzkartoshkanavuruglari”, near Tashkent, where they were stored until spring 2007.

Results In total, about 1,029 kg of high quality seed potatoes belonging to 27 elite breeding lines were harvested on October 19 and November 04. Results are shown in Tables 4 and 5. No clones were rejected because of tuber diseases or abnormalities. The average tuber weight varied from 25.5 (clone 397077.16) to 108.9 g (clone 720149), with an overall mean weight equivalent to 57.1 g.

Clones 720150, 392780.1, 397030.31, 720147 and 397077.16 were the most productive with respectively 20.3, 11.3, 9.5 and 8.0 tubers/plant. Clones 720150, 388611.22, 388615.22, 390478.9, 391180.6, 392797.22, 397030.31, 397054.3, 397077.16, 392780.1 and 720189 should be ranked

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among the early bulking materials. Clone 397054.3 is also characterized by the highest available iron and zinc content.

Ten clones planted on July 12 (see Tables 3-5) were harvested later, towards the first week of November. To notice also that clone 397077.16 showed profuse flowering and copious berry setting, important characteristics when clones are selected for crossing purposes.

Conclusions and discussion Four clones, namely 388972.22, 397030.31, 397073.16 and 397077.16, produced enough planting materials to undertake multilocation trials in five localities representing different Uzbek agroecological conditions: Tashkent, Samarkand, Khorezm, Surkhandaria and Ferghana regions.

Testing will be done during two growing periods with planting at the end of February and 2nd half of June-beginning of July, respectively. For each one of the multilocation trials 240 tubers/clone of a size comprised between 35 and 55 mm will be required. The other clones will be further multiplied in the mid-elevation station of Pskem. At the end of the storage period, each clone will be evaluated in terms of storage behaviour.

Average plant productivity was low (5.5 tubers/plant) mainly because the majority of seed tubers did not have more than one or two sprouts at planting. In fact, due to late harvest of minitubers at TSAU, we were then obliged to immediately treat them with chemicals to break dormancy to have them ready for planting not later than the end of June-beginning of July, which is normally considered the deadline for the main growing season in the highlands.

Due to the characteristics observed on clone 397077.16, we decided to retain it for future crossing programs. One of the local varieties selected by NARS in the past could complete the pedigree. It is to be noticed that such clone was also the most productive in Tajikistan.

20

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â&#x20AC;˘

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E N H A N C E M E N T

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D I V I S I O N

W O R K I N G

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2 0 0 8 - 1

Table 2. Phenological characteristics of clones planted in Pskem, Uzbekistan, between 28-30 June, 2006.

No.

NARS code

CIP No.

1.

1

388611.22

2.

2

3.

Flowering date (*)

Plant height (cm)

Observations (presence of diseases)

21.08.06

Plant vigour (1-3) (**) 1

52.0

---

388615.22

08.09.06

1

80.0

---

3

388676.1

15.08.06

1

53.0

---

4.

4

388972.22

15.08.06

1

52.0

---

5.

5

390478.9

15.08.06

1

57.0

---

6.

7

391180.6

21.08.06

1

62.0

---

7.

10

392797.22

21.08.06

1

71.0

---

8.

11

397029.21

21.08.06

1

60.0

---

9.

12

397030.31

08.09.06

1

76.0

---

10.

13

397035.26

08.09.06

1

64.0

---

11.

14

397065.28

08.09.06

1

52.0

---

12.

16

397073.16

21.08.06

1

51.0

---

13.

17

397077.16

15.08.06

1

59.0

---

14.

20

397054.3

08.09.06

1

73.0

---

15.

33

720189

15.08.06

1

51.0

---

16.

34

720157

21.08.06

1

57.0

---

(*) when about 80% of plants are flowering (**) 1: very vigorous; 3: weak growth.

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Table 3. Phenological characteristics of clones planted in Pskem, Uzbekistan, between 12-13 July, 2006.

No.

NARS code

CIP No.

Flowering date (*)

1.

8

392780.1

18.09

Plant vigour (1-3) (**) 1

Plant height (cm)

Observations (presence of diseases)

93.0

---

2.

18

397099.4

18.09

1

66.0

---

3.

21

720087

12.09

1

30.0

---

4.

22

720088

12.09

1

97.0

---

5

23

720089

18.09

65.0

---

6.

24

720090

15.09

1

39.0

---

7.

25

720140

12.09

1

79.0

---

8.

26

720141

12.09

1

44.0

---

9.

27

720139

15.09

1

80.0

---

10.

29

720148

12.09

1

60.0

---

11.

30

720149

15.09

1

86.0

---

12

31

720150

10.08

1

82.0

Rhizoctonia solani (aerial tubers on one plant only)

(*) when about 80% of plants are flowering (**) 1: very vigorous; 3: weak growth.

22

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A D V A N C E S

I N

P O T A T O

R E S E A R C H

A N D

D E V E L O P M E N T

C I P

•

G E R M P L A S M

E N H A N C E M E N T

A N D

C R O P

I M P R O V E M E N T

D I V I S I O N

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Table 4. Results of harvest of CIP-advanced potato clones at Pskem, Uzbekistan (28-30/06/06 – 19/10/06). % Tuber distribution No.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

NA RS cod e 1 2 3 4 5 7 10 11 12 13 14 16 17 20 33 34 8 31

CIP No.

388611.22 388615.22 388676.1 388972.22 390478.9 391180.6 392797.22 397029.21 397030.31 397035.26 397065.28 397073.16 397077.16 397054.3 720189 720157 392780.1 720150

TOTAL MEAN

No. of Plants harvested

No. of tubers harvested

No. of Tubers/ plant

Total weight (kg)

<25 mm

%

25-55 mm

%

>55 mm

%

Av. tuber wt. (g)

Yield/ plant (kg)

284 220 282 414 184 156 130 204 521 281 243 478 416 465 227 173 70 3

1,104 731 1,177 2,063 622 850 1,008 1,218 4,962 1,154 1,362 3,243 3,323 1,746 805 464 404 61

3.9 3.3 4.2 5.0 3.4 5.4 7.7 6.0 9.5 4.1 5.6 6.8 8.0 3.8 3.5 2.7 5.8 20.3

50.90 34.35 42.95 76.30 32.95 37.90 38.15 43.25 135.40 53.50 50.20 98.10 84.65 53.60 48.75 21.70 15.45 4.01

349 206 335 710 176 240 295 403 1,845 337 413 792 1,427 687 164 89 124 ---

31.7 28.2 28.5 34.5 28.4 28.2 29.3 33.1 37.2 29.2 30.3 24.4 42.9 39.4 20.4 19.2 30.8 ---

505 376 617 1,012 284 446 600 626 2,533 567 656 2,006 1,516 853 421 283 220 51

45.7 51.4 52.4 49.0 45.6 52.5 59.5 51.4 51.0 49.1 48.2 61.9 45.7 48.8 52.3 61.0 54.4 83.6

250 149 225 341 162 164 113 189 584 250 293 445 380 206 220 92 60 10

22.6 20.4 19.1 16.5 26.0 19.3 11.2 15.5 11.8 21.7 21.5 13.7 11.4 11.8 27.3 19.8 14.8 16.4

46.1 47.0 36.5 37.0 53.0 44.6 37.8 35.5 27.3 46.4 36.9 30.2 25.5 30.7 60.6 46.8 38.2 65.8

0.179 0.156 0.152 0.184 0.179 0.243 0.293 0.212 0.260 0.190 0.207 0.205 0.203 0.115 0.215 0.125 0.221 1.338

4,751 ---

26,297 ---

--5.5

922.11 ---

-----

--28.7

-----

--53.5

-----

R E C E N T

A D V A N C E S

I N

P O T A T O

R E S E A R C H

A N D

D E V E L O P M E N T

--17.8

23

--41.4

--0.260

C I P

•

G E R M P L A S M

E N H A N C E M E N T

A N D

C R O P

I M P R O V E M E N T

W O R K I N G

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Table 5. Results of harvest of CIP-advanced potato clones at Pskem, Uzbekistan (12-13/07/06 – 04/11/06).

No.

24

NARS code

% Tuber distribution 25-55 mm %

19

8

392780.1

No. of Plants harvested 26

20

18

397099.4

96

270

2.8

25.85

41

15.2

119

44.1

110

40.7

95.7

0.269

21

19

397099.6

23

181

7.9

10.70

50

27.6

95

52.5

36

19.9

59.1

0.465

22

24

720090

51

152

3.0

10.34

17

11.1

89

58.6

46

30.3

68.0

0.203

23

25

720140

48

290

6.0

15.20

80

27.6

150

51.7

60

20.7

52.4

0.317

24

26

720141

6

17

2.8

1.56

2

11.8

9

52.9

6

35.3

91.8

0.260

25

27

720139

33

177

5.4

13.60

30

16.9

78

44.1

69

39.0

76.8

0.412

26

28

720147

7

56

8.0

1.83

18

32.1

29

51.8

9

16.1

32.7

0.261

27

29

720148

8

21

2.6

1.48

6

28.6

11

52.4

4

19.0

70.5

0.185

28

30

720149

10

45

4.5

4.90

10

22.2

13

28.9

22

48.9

108.9

0.490

TOTAL

308

1,502

---

106.71

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

MEAN

---

5.4

---

---

21.46

---

48.65

---

29.89

72.84

0.368

R E C E N T

CIP No.

A D V A N C E S

I N

P O T A T O

No. of tubers harvested 293

No. of Tubers/ plant 11.3

Total weight (kg) 21.25

<25 mm

%

63

21.5

145

R E S E A R C H

A N D

D E V E L O P M E N T

>55 mm

% 29.0

Av. tuber wt. (g) 72.5

Yield/ plant (kg) 0.817

49.5

85

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Bibliographic References •

Bonierbale, M. 2003. LD-Varieties CAC-2003. CIP, Lima, Peru. (Unpub.).

•

Bryan, J.E. 1987. Breaking the rest period of dormant potato tubers. CIP, Lima, Peru. Technical Note. pp. 6.

•

Davies, K. and F. Milne. 2000. Potato haulm destruction in conventional and organic crops.

Technical note T491, SAC Edinburgh, 4 p.

•

Dodds, J.H., D. Silva-Rodriguez and J.E. Bryan. 1986. Transport, receipt and propagation of invitro potato plantlets. International Potato Center (CIP). pp. 13. ISBN 92-9060-087- X.

•

Essah, S.Y.C., D.G. Holm and R.D. Davidson. 2005. Timing vine kill to manipulate yield, tuber size distribution and quality of two red potatoes. Annual meetings of the Potato Association of America. July 17-21, 2005. Calgary, Alberta, Canada. [Abstract].

•

FAO. 2003. Fertilizer Use by Crops in Uzbekistan. Land and Plant Nutrition Management Service, Land and Water Development Division. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS, Rome, 2003.

•

Hutchinson, C.M. and W.M. Stall. 2003. Potato vine killing or desiccation. HS925 Document, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

•

Rehman, F., S.K. Lee, A. Khabir and H. Joung. 2003. Evaluation of various chemicals on dormancy breaking and subsequent effects on growth and yield in potato microtubers under greenhouse conditions. Acta Hort. (ISHS) 619:375-381.

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STUDY AND MULTIPLICATION OF ADVANCED VIRUS-RESISTANT POTATO CLONES FOR MULTILOCATION TRIALS IN TAJIKISTAN 6

7

/// Carli, C. , Partoev K., Melikov K. , Aliev K., Naimov S.

8

Abstract In-vitro elite breeding lines supplied by CIP, Lima, in April 2005, and multiplied by the Institute of Plant Physiology and Genetics, Dushanbe, were transplanted under field conditions in Faizabad district, Tajikistan, at the elevation of 2 300 m asl, on June 14, 2006. Observations were conducted during the growing season. At harvest, we noticed important plant losses (55.6%) likely due to insufficient hardening of in-vitro plantlets. Clones 397077.16, 397054.3 and 391180.6 were the most appreciated for their regular and uniform production. In particular, clone 397077.16, for its tuber shape and color, was called “banana potato” by local breeders and farmers engaged in harvesting operations. It is also early bulking. The harvested tubers will be further multiplied in 2007 before multilocation trials could start.

Key words: Potato, Solanum tuberosum, plant tissue culture, potato viruses, biotic and abiotic stress, potato propagation, solar sterilization.

Introduction Tajik NARS received from CIP 28 advanced virus-resistant clones in form of in-vitro germplasm materials in April 2005. The selection of virus resistant clones is a priority for Tajikistan due to the high virus pressure existing in the lowlands. Some of the varieties were developed by the national potato programs of Argentina (INTA) and Chile (INIA), under long day environments. They possess resistance to viruses, which are the major cause of degeneration of vegetative potato seed, are heat tolerant and have the market characteristics now being sought by consumers and merchants to meet the emerging demand of the fast food industry. Six among them have the highest available Fe and Zn content.

Because of the lack of quality seed at an affordable price, Tajik farmers typically multiply their own saved seed potatoes year after year without the renewal that is necessary to reduce diseases carried by the tubers from one year to the next. The necessity to provide farmers and seed producers with potato varieties that are not encumbered by stringent regulations entailing the 6

Carlo Carli, Regional Seed Specialist, CIP-Liaison Office for CAC region, CGIAR-CAC, Murtazaeva Str. 6, 700000 Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Tel: (998-71) 137 17 82; Fax: (998-71) 120 71 25. E-mail: c.carli@cgiar.org; Web: www.cipotato.org 7 Kurbonali Partoev, Potato Breeder, Kurbonali Melikov, Agronomist, Horticulture Institute “Bogparvar”, Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

8 Kurbon Aliev, Biotechnologist, Safarali Naimov, Wheat Breeder, Institute of Plant Physiology and Genetics, Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

26

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payment of royalties to western seed companies is also considered a high priority. For this, the International Potato Center (CIP) should play an important role with the supply of breeding materials or adapted germplasm for variety development. This would allow the identification of clonal varieties with the resistance/tolerance characteristics (virus, heat, salinity) that will permit farmers to grow their own seed or replace it only every 3-4 seasons with highland sources, having acquired a basic understanding of seed management.

Timing of potato planting depends on the zones of cultivation. In the valleys of Central and Southern Tajikistan, characterized by a long cropping season and mild winter, planting is carried out in November-December, February-March and in the second half of July-beginning of August.

On the other hand, in the plains of Sogd region (Northern Tajikistan) potato is mainly planted in spring (second half of March-beginning of April). In the foothill and mountainous areas planting starts in the second half of April to be finalized in early June.

The main objective of introducing and testing CIP-derived clones is to select some high yielding, early, mid-maturing and late varieties which could be grown in the dual cropping system of the lowlands and in the main cropping season of the highlands. Local breeders, in fact, search for valuable alternatives to varieties Cardinal (late maturing), Picasso (mid-late) and Jukowsky ramni (early maturing) that are particularly appreciated by farmers in Tajikistan.

This work has also been possible thanks to the logistic support graciously offered by the FAO Emergency Coordinating Unit, Dushanbe, through the project OSRO/TAJ/401/CAN.

Materials and methods In-vitro plants issued from 24 elite breeding lines supplied by CIP in April 2005 and multiplied in the laboratory of the Institute of Plant Physiology and Genetics were transplanted under nethouse conditions in the highlands of Faizabad district (2 200 m asl), approx. 100 km from Dushanbe, on June 14, 2006. A typical nethouse used by the above FAO project measures approx.

5 x 20 m and consists of metallic arcs and a cover made of cotton gauze, locally manufactured, to ensure a certain protection to in-vitro plantlets at the beginning of their growth. Height of the frame was about 2 m. The adopted planting distance was equivalent to 45 x 20 cm. Clones 397065.28, 397099.4, 388676.1 and 720147 were lost during the multiplication process and consequently not transplanted in the field.

Prior to planting, well-decomposed organic manure was added to the seedbed (approx. 10 tons/ha) and thoroughly mixed with the soil, which received the following basal fertilizers per R E C E N T

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unit area: 200 kg of ammonium nitrate (34N), 400 kg of monoammonium phosphate (11N-46P2O5) and 200 kg of potassium chloride (50K2O). A second application of ammonium nitrate (200 kg/ha) was done before the first hilling up. Furrow irrigation was provided ten times during the growing season. No crop protection measures were applied.

Soil pH was equivalent to 7.8. Results of other soil analyses are herewith reported.

Table 1. Results of soil analyses, Boboi Vali village, Faizabad district, Tajikistan, 2006.

N % 0.212

Total P2O5 % 0.543

K2O % 1.25

N-NO3 mg/kg 14.5

Not fixed P2O5 mg/kg 53.85

K2O mg/kg 246

C/N (%) 3.68

Haulm killing was practiced once 70% of tubers reached the seed size, following a standardized method (Davies et al., 2000; Hutchinson et al., 2003; Essah et al., 2005), and clones harvested on October 11, 2006, about two weeks later once tuber skin was sufficiently hardened. Each clone was harvested and bagged separately.

During the growing season observations were conducted and data reported on intensity of flowering, plant vigour, plant height and health (see Table 2). At harvest, data were recorded on number of plants harvested, percentage of plant losses (harvested potato plants vs. transplanted in-vitro plants), number of tubers per clone, total weight (kg), tuber yield per plant (kg), average tuber weight (g) and presence of diseases or other tuber abnormalities. Immediately after harvesting, tubers were weighed, bagged, disinfected against soil-borne diseases by soaking them in a 0.3% boric acid solution (3 g boric acid in 1 litre water) for 30 minutes, dried and stored in a cellar in the nearby village.

Results In total, about 560 kg of high quality seed potatoes belonging to 24 elite breeding lines were harvested and stored for further multiplication that will be carried out in the highlands of Tajikistan in 2007. Results are shown in Table 3. Clone 720149 was rejected because sensitive to growth cracks recorded on numerous samples. The average tuber weight varied from 56.6 (clone 388611.22) to 150.0 g (clone 397029.21), with an overall average tuber weight of 79.5 g. Clones 720157 and 397099.6 were the most productive with respectively 28 and 20 tubers/plant. Of particular importance were plant losses that were reported as high as 55.6%, on average, at harvest. Clones 397077.16, 397054.3 and 391180.6 were the most appreciated for their regular and uniform production and tuber characteristics. In particular, clone 397077.16, for its tuber

28

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shape and color was called “banana potato” by local breeders and farmers engaged in harvesting operations. It is also early bulking. Clone 397054.3 is also characterized by the highest available iron and zinc content. To notice some very good performance obtained from single plants of clones 720157, 388972.22 and 397054.3, notwithstanding the high plant density adopted: in fact, there were plants yielding 3.0, 3.5 and 4.0 kg, per each clone respectively, with a number of tubers varying from 13 to 37.

Discussion and Future Plans Tajik staff should focus their attention on in-vitro plants management to reduce plant losses that are still considerable (55.6%). Considering that the cost of producing one in-vitro plant at the Biotechnology Dept. of Tashkent State Agrarian University has been evaluated at $US 0.26, this means that in-vitro plant losses were equivalent to approx. $US 220. The following advices to reduce plant losses, which are probably related to improper plant hardening and soil-borne pathogens, should be carefully considered: •

Before transplanting in-vitro plantlets, a few soil samples should be taken and sent to a laboratory to detect presence of any soil-borne pathogens;

•

If the presence of soil pathogens is detected, then it would be recommended to sterilize the substrate. In this case, solar sterilization is the cheapest solution to apply (Aguilar et al., 1989);

•

At transplanting, wash the agar from the roots by gently immersing them several times in sterilized water, trying not to wet the rest of the plantlet;

•

Cover the plantlets with a plastic cover (polythene sheet) to prevent dehydration until the roots are established (about 10 days);

•

Gradually expose the plants to the normal atmosphere by removing the plastic sheet for short periods every day;

•

Once the plants are established and well rooted, normal fertilizer can be dissolved in the irrigation water. It is very important at this stage to supply a liquid fertilizer (plantlets cannot absorb dry fertilizers yet) containing phosphorus (i.e. monoammonium phosphate: 3-4 g/litre of water) because it gives strength to the plants and stimulate root development. Apply the solution to the plantlets with a watering can once every week until plants are about 20 cm high. CIP, Lima, Peru, recommends 5 g of N:P:K at 12-12-12, per liter of water (Dodds et al., 1986).

Before a new growing season starts, towards the end of March, seed tubers should be removed from the cellar and placed in trays under indirect light conditions to stimulate the development of sturdy, coloured sprouts, 2-3 cm long.

R E C E N T

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I N

P O T A T O

R E S E A R C H

A N D

D E V E L O P M E N T

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Table 2. Phenologic characteristics of CIP-advanced clones tested in Faizabad district, Tajikistan (24.08.06).

No.

NARS code

CIP No.

1.

2.

1 2

397077.16 392781.1

Intensity of flowering (1-9) (*) 8 8

Plant vigour (1-3) (**) 1 1

Plant height (cm)

Plant Health (1-9) (***)

Presence of antocyans in the stem

60 50

9 2 (evident mosaic on some plants) 9 3 (evident mosaic on some plants) 5 7 7 Very good clone (9) 6 9 9 6 8 9 9 7 8 Slight mosaic (6) 9 8 7 6 7 8

Yes Yes

3.

4.

3 4

390478.9 397030.31

8 8

1 2

60 30

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

5 6 7 8 9 11 13 14 15 16 17 18 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

397099.6 720149 397029.21 392780.1 397035.26 388972.22 388611.22 720148 388615.22 720088 720157 720090 720188 397069.11 720189 392797.22 390663.8 397073.16 391180.6 397054.3

8 8 8 6 6 7 7 5 8 2 2 5 3 3 3 3 4 3 4 3

2 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 1

40 50 30 50 50 50 50-60 60 60 50 50 45 30 60 60 50 60 30 60 60

Not Not Yes Yes Not Not Not Not Yes Yes Yes A little A little Strong Strong Yes Strong Strong Yes Yes Not Not

(*) 1-3 = no flowers; 4-6 = presence of flowers; 7-9 = profuse flowering; (**) 1: very vigorous; 3: weak growth; (***) 1-3 = very diseased plants; 4-6 = slight presence of diseases; 7-9 = very healthy plants.

30

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A N D

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Table 3. Results of harvest of CIP clones issued from in-vitro materials. Faizabad district, Tajikistan (14 June â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 11 October, 2006).

No.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 TOTAL

NARS code

CIP No.

No. of in-vitro plants transplanted

No. of plants harvested

1 2 3 4 5 6

397077.16 392781.1 390478.9 397030.31 397099.6 720149

260 69 82 63 13 38

182 31 34 2 1

7 8 9 11 13 14 15 16 17 18 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

397029.21 392780.1 397035.26 388972.22 388611.22 720148 388615.22 720088 720157 720090 720188 397069.11 720189 392797.22 390663.8 397073.16 391180.6 397054.3

15 68 44 35 26 88 50 25 7 80 76 59 70 21 77 56 139 68 1,529

2 34 16 14 4 32 19 6 1 33 31 33 30 9 24 21 75 45 679

In-vitro plant losses (%) 30.0 55.1 58.5 96.8 92.3

Total No. of tubers harvested

Av. No. tubers/ plant

Total weight (kg)

Yield/ plant (kg)

2,105 257 304 13 20

11.6 8.3 8.9 6.5 20.0

138.5 23.0 35.5 1.0 2.5

0.761 0.742 1.040 0.500 2.500

Av. tuber weight (g) 65.8 89.5 116.8 76.9 125.0

Remarks

Growth cracks (rejected) 86.7 50.0 63.6 60.0 84.6 63.6 62.0 76.0 85.7 59.0 59.2 44.1 57.1 57.1 68.8 62.5 46.0 33.8 55.6

R E C E N T

20 356 183 200 53 253 176 73 28 261 223 262 260 76 220 268 811 617 7,039

A D V A N C E S

10.0 10.5 11.4 14.3 13.2 7.9 9.3 12.2 28.0 7.9 7.2 7.9 8.7 8.4 9.2 12.8 10.8 13.7 10.4

I N

P O T A T O

3.0 25.0 10.8 15.5 3.0 23.2 19.4 6.5 3.0 27.8 25.0 21.0 21.8 7.6 20.5 17.0 61.0 48.0 559.6

R E S E A R C H

1.500 0.735 0.675 1.107 0.750 0.725 1.020 1.083 3.000 0.842 0.806 0.636 0.727 0.844 0.854 0.809 0.813 1.067 0.824

A N D

150.0 70.2 59.0 77.5 56.6 91.7 110.2 89.0 107.1 106.5 112.1 80.1 83.8 100.0 93.2 63.4 75.2 77.8 79.5

D E V E L O P M E N T

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Bibliographic References •

Aguilar, J.G., C.W. Vittorelli, J.M. Molina and O.K. Santisteban. 1989. Disinfest planting substrate using the solarization method to produce basic category potato seed tubers.

INIAAP-COTESU-CIP Agreement. pp. 17. ISSN-92-9060-142-6.

•

Davies, K. and F. Milne. 2000. Potato haulm destruction in conventional and organic crops.

Technical note T491, SAC Edinburgh, 4 p.

•

Dodds, J.H., D. Silva-Rodriguez and J.E. Bryan. 1986. Transport, receipt and propagation of invitro potato plantlets. International Potato Center (CIP). pp. 13. ISBN 92-9060-087-X.

•

Essah, S.Y.C., D.G. Holm and R.D. Davidson. 2005. Timing vine kill to manipulate yield, tuber size distribution and quality of two red potatoes. Annual meetings of the Potato Association of America. July 17-21, 2005. Calgary, Alberta, Canada. [Abstract].

•

FAO. 2003. Fertilizer Use by Crops in Uzbekistan. Land and Plant Nutrition Management Service, Land and Water Development Division. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS, Rome, 2003.

•

Hutchinson, C.M. and W.M. Stall. 2003. Potato vine killing or desiccation. HS925 Document, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

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THE REGIONAL POTATO CLONAL SELECTION CONDUCTED IN THE HIGHLANDS OF TAJIKISTAN FOR THE BENEFIT OF SMALLHOLDERS OF CENTRAL ASIA AND THE CAUCASUS REGION 9

10

/// Carli C. , Partoev K., Melikov K. , Naimov S.

11

Abstract In the CAC region, the introduction and testing of elite potato breeding materials is a priority as many NARS plan to locally produce their own basic seed so as to reduce dependence on seed imports from foreign countries. For this, the International Potato Center (CIP) has started a threefold strategy with the supply of elite potato clones, TPS (True Potato Seed) and advanced TS (True Seed) families. The latter would allow local NARS to work with better adapted germplasm materials having a larger amount of diversity. Such a strategy has more chances to succeed compared with the others and presents opportunities for feedback on progenitors for future crossing plans. Tajikistan has been considered the main target for TS family selection for the possibility to conduct the work under isolation in order to increase chances of getting healthy sets of tuber families to be shared with other NARS’ evaluators. The paper relates on the results obtained after three years of selection/evaluation conducted in two sites, Lakshe, at 2 700 m asl, and Faizabad, located at 2 000 m asl., where two clones belonging to TS families TITIA x C93.154 (302478) and C92.140 x 92.187 (303414), both of red skin colour, were identified as the most performing ones in 2007. In total, 29 clones, 14 in Faizabad and 15 in Jirgatal districts, were retained for further evaluation/selection.

Key words: Potato, Solanum tuberosum, clonal selection, potato viruses, biotic and abiotic stress, long day adaptation, Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, Alternaria solani,

Streptomyces scabiae

Introduction In Central Asia and the Caucasus (CAC) region, the introduction and testing of elite potato breeding materials is a priority as many NARS plan to locally produce their own basic seed so as to reduce dependence on seed imports from foreign countries. For this, the International Potato Center (CIP) has started a regional breeding selection scheme in Tajikistan on May 2005 with the supply of forty True Seed (TS) families obtained from crosses between suitable parents selected

9

Carlo Carli, Potato Seed Production Specialist, CIP-Liaison Office for CAC region, CGIAR-CAC, Murtazaeva Str. 6, 700000 Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Tel: (998-71) 137 17 82; Fax: (998-71) 120 71 25. E-mail: c.carli@cgiar.org; Web: www.cipotato.org 10 Kurbonali Partoev, Potato Breeder, Kurbonali Melikov, Agronomist, Horticulture Institute “Bogparvar”, Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

11 Safarali Naimov, Wheat Breeder, Institute of Plant Physiology and Genetics, Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

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for combining ability in long day adaptation and virus resistance. Tajikistan has been chosen for its unique characteristics in terms of environment (93% of the territory is covered by mountains), isolation and limited virus pressure. The regional clonal selection started with the sowing of 100 seed per each one of the 40 TS families in two localities of Tajikistan, in May 2005. They are situated in the north-western part of the country, at the border with Uzbekistan (Gonchi district), and in the central part, at about 100 km from the capital Dushanbe (Faizabad district), at the altitude of 2 300 and 1 600 m asl, respectively. Before sowing, TS were soaked for 30 minutes into a solution containing potassium permanganate (0.05%) to disinfect the seed, and sown in plastic cups, at the rate of one TS/cup. Substrate was composed of subsoil and organic manure in the proportion of 1:1, with additional fertilizers such as ammonium nitrate (34%) and monoammonium phosphate (11 N - 46 P2O5). Seedlings were grown under nethouse conditions.

Germination rate was equivalent to 48% (transplanted seedlings/True Seed) in Faizabad vs. 78% in Gonchi. The germination rate was affected by the low temperatures recorded during the month of May. Derived-rooted seedlings were then transplanted in the fields of the above locations, on June 20 (Faizabad) and July 07 (Gonchi), 2005. While harvesting in Faizabad district proceeded without problems during the month of October, in Gonchi district, it was hampered by bad weather conditions that obliged to speed up operations at the expense of proper evaluation. For that it was decided to emphasize results obtained in Faizabad district. In the latter locality, at the end of the first year of selection, 627 clones were harvested out of which 231 were retained for further evaluation (Carli et al., 2006). During the first field generation, families were selected for visual characters such as tuberization, yield, tuber characteristics (regular shape and skin colour, shallow depth of eyes), disease resistance, according to a CIP scale slightly modified by local breeders. As a result of the second field generation in Faizabad district at 2 200 m asl, from May 23 till October 2006, 40 clones belonging to 26 families were retained for further observations, representing, therefore, 6.4 % of the original materials.

This activity has a regional scope in the sense that the most promising clones will be supplied to other CAC-NARS for further evaluation in their respective countries. This is expected in spring 2008.

This work has also been possible thanks to the logistic support graciously offered by the FAO Emergency Coordinating Unit, Dushanbe, through the project OSRO/TAJ/401/CAN, which was active until December 2006.

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Materials and methods This is the classic breeding and selection technique used to create new potato varieties in 7 to 10 annual rounds of clonal selection and multiplication as reported by several authors (Bradshaw et al., 1994; Holm, 1994; Jin et al., 2004; Voss et al., 2004). In 2007, two sites were chosen, one at a high altitude (2 700 m asl) and the other at the level of about 2 000 m asl. They are representative of the main potato growing areas of Tajikistan. The first site at a high elevation ensures the selection/evaluation process under isolated conditions, being sufficiently high to avoid spread of diseases and infestation by pests.

Tubers of the selected clones issued from the second field generation conducted in Faizabad district in 2006, were stored in the cellar of a nearby farmer who participated in all the operations, from land preparation till harvesting and evaluation/selection. Approximately forty five days before planting, tubers were taken out of the store, sorted and split for planting either in Lakshe, Jirgatal district, or in Faizabad district. Before planting, they were placed in a room with indirect light to stimulate the development of sturdy and coloured sprouts.

A number varying from 10 to 40 tubers per each selected clone were planted with single replication and at the distance of 0.60 x 0.30 m with 0.50m separation between each clone.

Planting was carried out on May 28 (Faizabad) and on May 22 (Lakshe).

The two experiments were set up in farmers’ fields and all the operations were executed by farmers from ploughing till harvesting that was carried out under NARS and CIP’s supervision. The two clonal selections received different fertilization formula, depending on the fertilizers available locally. In Lakshe, for instance, the following fertilizers were applied: 400 kg/ha of monoammonium phosphate locally called “ammophos” (11% N – 46% P2O5), 500 kg/ha of simple superphosphate (16% P2O5) and 100 kg/ha of potassium chloride (60% of K2O). In Faizabad, prior to planting, well-decomposed organic manure, at the rate of about 5 t/ha, was added to the seedbed and thoroughly mixed with the soil, which received the following basal fertilizers per unit area: 500 kg of ammonium nitrate (33% N), and 100 kg of potassium chloride (60% K2O). The two different fertilization formulas were, therefore, equivalent to: 44 N – 264 P2O5 – 60 K2O, in Lakshe, and 165 N – 60 K2O, in Faizabad. During the growing season, furrow irrigation was applied 7 and 10 times, in Faizabad and Lakshe, respectively. Only in Faizabad, insecticide Confidor (imidacloprid: 200 g/L) was sprayed twice at the rate of 0.16 kg/ha of commercial formulation to control Colorado potato beetle (Dorifera decemlineata, Say) that is absent at higher elevation.

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In Faizabad, soil pH was equivalent to 7.8. Results of other soil analyses are herewith reported (Table 1). Previous crop was wheat, while in Lakshe, before potato planting, land was under pasture.

Table 1. Results of soil analyses, Boboi Vali village, Faizabad district, Tajikistan, 2007.

Total P2O5 % 0.54

N % 0.21

K2O % 1.25

N-NO3 mg/kg 14.50

Not fixed P2O5 mg/kg 53.80

K2O mg/kg 246.00

C/N (%) 3.68

In Lakshe, soil pH was lower and equivalent to 7.0. Compared with the previous soil analysis, NNO3 content was higher (50 mg/kg), as well as P2O5 (65 mg/kg) and K2O (280 mg/kg). C/N was also higher (4.72%).

Haulm killing was carried out once plants started slightly yellowing, 117 and 123 days after planting, in Lakshe and Faizabad district, respectively, following a standardized method (Davies et al., 2000; Hutchinson et al., 2003; Essah et al., 2005). In Lakshe harvest occurred on October 2, while in Faizabad it was achieved the day after. In both sites, harvest occurred about ten days after haulm killing once tuber skin was hardened enough.

During the growing season a series of observations were conducted as documented in Tables 2-3.

Immediately after harvesting, tubers were counted, weighed, bagged, disinfected against soilborne diseases by soaking them in a 0.3% boric acid solution (3 g boric acid in 1 litre water) for 30 minutes, dried and stored in a cellar in the nearby villages.

Results Results of observations conducted on August 18 and 23 are reported in Tables 2-3. Virus diseases were only noticed in the plot established in Faizabad district. In fact, mosaic symptoms were observed on some plants of a clone belonging to TS family 397036.7 x C93.154 (302089) and, as a consequence, they were completely rejected. One clone from BEROLINA x C93.154 (302312) was also eliminated in Faizabad because of its extreme susceptibility to early blight (Alternaria solani).

On the other hand, in Lakshe: •

one clone of LR93.050 x 92.187 (302391) was eliminated at harvest because of severe infection by common scab (Streptomyces scabiae);

•

two clones, one belonging to TS family C92.140 x C93.154 (302496) and another to PW.6187 x C90.266 (302453) were eliminated at harvest because of presence of growth cracks.

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No rotten tubers were observed in anyone of the harvested clones in both sites. Finally, the following clones were classified as the most interesting (Tables 4-5): in Lakshe, clone 40/1 of TS family TITIA x C93.154 (302478), with appealing oval-shaped tubers of red skin colour, and a 100% marketability. The average tuber weight was equivalent to 217 g, while the productivity corresponded to 1.13 kg of tubers per plant. Other productive clones were 47/8 and 52/6, belonging to TS families C92.140 x 92.187 (303414) and C91.640 x C93.154 (303408), respectively.

In Faizabad, clone 47/8 of TS family C92.140 x 92.187 (303414) was the most performing one with red skin tubers, an average tuber weight of 163.5 g and a productivity of 2.78 kg per plant.

Conclusions and discussion During the 3rd field generation, we evaluated yields, we identified disease resistances and selected clones based on maturity, yield estimate and performance of traits controlled by single main genes such as tuber shape, skin colour, and tuber eye depth. As a result, 14 and 15 clones were selected in Faizabad and Jirgatal districts, respectively, representing 2.2-2.4% of the original materials selected in October 2005.

In general, depending on their vegetative period the selected clones can be classified into: •

mid-early maturing (90-95 days): the clone identified as 40/1 and belonging to TS family TITIA x C93.154 (302478);

•

mid-late maturing (105-110 days), all the other clones, apart from the clone identified as 44/11 and belonging to TS family 397036.7 x LR93.050 (302090), which can be considered as a late maturing with a vegetative period of 120 days.

To continue the activity, adequate funding should be made available to CAC office since one of the most relevant partners, the FAO project OSRO/TAJ/401/CAN, has been completed in December 2006. Such project was instrumental in the provision of logistics all over the country whenever there was a need. In fact, distances and road conditions in the country are such that funds for transport and regular follow up of field activities, gathering data, etc., are relevant. Local NARS is neither sufficiently equipped especially in terms of means of transporting nor receives enough support from the Government.

Bibliographic References •

Bradshaw, J.E. and G.R. Mackay. Potato Genetics. CAB International, Wallingford, Oxon, UK, 1994. p. 467-497.

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•

Carli, C., K. Partoev, K. Melikov and S. Naimov. 2006. Regional potato clonal selection conducted in the highlands of Tajikistan for the benefit of smallholders of Central Asia and the Caucasus region. Working Paper. CIP-Tashkent.

•

Davies, K. and F. Milne. 2000. Potato haulm destruction in conventional and organic crops.

Technical note T491, SAC Edinburgh, 4 p.

•

Essah, S.Y.C., D.G. Holm and R.D. Davidson. 2005. Timing vine kill to manipulate yield, tuber size distribution and quality of two red potatoes. Annual meetings of the Potato Association of America. July 17-21, 2005. Calgary, Alberta, Canada. [Abstract].

•

Holm, D.G. 1994. Russet Norkotah Clonal Selection Studies (Abstr.). Am. Potato J. 71:678.

•

Hutchinson, C.M. and W.M. Stall. 2003. Potato vine killing or desiccation. HS925 Document, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

•

Jin, L.P., D.Y. Qu, K.Y. Xie, C.S. Bian and S.G. Duan. 2004. Potato Germplasm, Breeding Studies in China. World Potato Congress, Beijing. 11 August, 2004.

•

Voss, R.E., H. Phillips, M. Cantwell, D. Holm, C. Miller, H. Carlson, D. Kirby, R. Mullen, R. Novy, J. Nunez, K. Rykbost, A. Mosley and B. Charlton. 2004. Potato variety selection and development. In: 2003 Potato Board Annual Report. California Potato Research Advisory Board. Dinuba, CA 93618. pp 9-68.

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Table 2. Lakshe, Jirgatal district: Observations conducted in the Regional Potato Clonal Selection, May-October 2007.

Tajik catalogue

22

24

CIP No.

302330

302371

Parental combinations

DESIREE x C 90.266

KONDOR x C 90.266

# clones

No. of plants

Plant vigour (1-3) (*)

Plant height (cm)

Color of flowers

Intensity of flowering (1-9) (**)

Plant health (1-9) (***)

12

12

1

60

white

6

7

15

7

1

70

white

5

7

16

8

2

50

purple

5

6

3

5

2

50

white

6

6

8

8

2

40

white

2

7

25

302447

PW.6065 x C 90.266

1

11

1

60

white

8

8

26

302453

PW.6187 x C 90.266

2

15

2

50

white

5

7

7

16

1

60

white

7

7

8

9

2

40

white

7

6

6

6

27

302313

BEROLINA x TXY.2

5

24

2

50

white

29

303234

ALPHA x C92.140

5

28

1

60

purple

6

30

1

60

purple

7

7

9

18

1

60

white

3

7

10

15

1

90

purple

2

8

4

9

1

60

light purple

6

7

6

17

2

60

white

4

7

3

12

1

70

purple

3

7

30

34

36

302328

302312

302331

DESIREE x 92.187

BEROLINA x C93.154

DESIREE x C93.154

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A D V A N C E S

I N

P O T A T O

R E S E A R C H

A N D

D E V E L O P M E N T

7

39

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P A P E R

37

302372

KONDOR x C93.154

2

9

1

60

white

7

7

38

302448

PW.6065 x C93.154

6

8

1

70

light purple

7

7

40

302478

TITIA x C93.154

1

10

1

50

-------

1

8

41

302499

YAGANA x C93.154

4

11

1

100

light purple

2

7

43

302084

397036.7 x 92.187

3

5

1

100

white

2

8

44

302090

397036.7 x LR93.050

10

19

1

120

white

1

8

11

33

1

120

white

1

7

3

15

1

80

white

9

7

4

14

1

80

purple

8

7

8

19

1

100

purple

47

303414

C92.140 x 92.187

9

48

302391

LR93.050 x 92.187

4

11

1

100

white

6

8

50

302089

397036.7 x C93.154

7

8

1

90

white

1

9

8

4

1

70

white

3

7

9

5

2

70

deep purple

4

6

52

303408

C91.640 x C93.154

6

23

2

60

white

9

6

53

302496

C92.140 x C93.154

4

5

1

80

white

3

9

54

302395

LR93.050 x C93.154

10

7

1

70

white

7

7

57

303130

392650.12 x 92.187

1

15

1

110

white/purple

6

7

60

303529

C97.270 x 393280.64

1

5

1

110

purple-white

3

8

Legende: (*) 1: very vigorous; 3: weak growth. (**) 1-3= no flowers; 4-6= presence of flowers; 7-9= profuse flowering. (***) 1-3= very diseased plants; 4-6= slight presence of diseases; 7-9= very healthy plants.

40

2 0 0 8 - 1

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A D V A N C E S

I N

P O T A T O

R E S E A R C H

A N D

D E V E L O P M E N T

C I P

â&#x20AC;˘

G E R M P L A S M

E N H A N C E M E N T

A N D

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I M P R O V E M E N T

D I V I S I O N

W O R K I N G

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Table 3. Faizabad: Observations conducted in the Regional Potato Clonal Selection, May-October 2007.

Tajik catalogue

22

24

CIP No.

302330

302371

Parental combinations

DESIREE x C 90.266

KONDOR x C 90.266

# clones

No. of plants

Plant vigour (1-3) (*)

Plant height (cm)

Color of flowers

Intensity of flowering (1-9) (**)

Plant health (1-9) (***)

12

12

1

60

white

6

7

15

16

1

70

white

5

7

16

12

2

80

purple

5

6

3

10

2

60

white

6

6

8

10

2

60

white

2

7

25

302447

PW.6065 x C 90.266

1

9

1

70

white

8

8

26

302453

PW.6187 x C 90.266

9

20

2

100

white

5

7

27

302313

BEROLINA x TXY.2

5

22

2

80

purple

6

6

29

303234

ALPHA x C92.140

5

11

1

60

white

5

7

6

17

2

60

purple

5

6

9

16

1

80

white

3

7

10

15

1

80

white

2

8

30

34

302328

302312

DESIREE x 92.187

BEROLINA x C93.154

4

6

2

60

light purple

3

Alternaria sol.

6

5

2

60

white

4

7

36

302331

DESIREE x C93.154

3

9

1

50

white

3

7

37

302372

KONDOR x C93.154

2

7

1

60

purple

7

7

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I N

P O T A T O

R E S E A R C H

A N D

D E V E L O P M E N T

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2 0 0 8 - 1

38

302448

PW.6065 x C93.154

9

8

1

50

light purple

7

7

40

302478

TITIA x C93.154

1

10

1

50

purple

1

8

41

302499

YAGANA x C93.154

4

9

1

60

light purple

2

7

43

302084

397036.7 x 92.187

3

12

1

50

purple

2

8

44

302090

397036.7 x LR93.050

10

11

1

80

white

1

8

11

7

1

80

white

1

7

3

10

1

60

white

9

7

4

17

1

40

purple

8

7

8

5

1

70

purple

5

9

47

303414

C92.140 x 92.187

48

302391

LR93.050 x 92.187

4

16

1

80

white

6

8

50

302089

397036.7 x C93.154

7

6

1

70

white

1

9

8

6

1

60

purple

3

7

9

5

2

70

deep purple

4

3

10

12

1

100

white

4

6

52

303408

C91.640 x C93.154

6

21

2

60

white

9

6

53

302496

C92.140 x C93.154

5

7

1

60

purple

4

9

4

5

2

60

white

5

7

9

7

1

90

white

6

7

10

16

1

90

white

5

7

54

302395

LR93.050 x C93.154

55

303088

391065.81 x 92.187

4

13

1

100

white

6

7

57

303130

392650.12 x 92.187

1

29

2

60

white

5

7

60

303529

C97.270 x 393280.64

1

14

1

100

white/purple

5

8

Legende: (*) 1: very vigorous; 3: weak growth. / (***) 1-3= very diseased plants; 4-6= slight presence of diseases; 7-9= very healthy plants. (**) 1-3= no flowers; 4-6= presence of flowers; 7-9= profuse flowering.

42

R E C E N T

A D V A N C E S

I N

P O T A T O

R E S E A R C H

A N D

D E V E L O P M E N T

C I P

â&#x20AC;˘

G E R M P L A S M

E N H A N C E M E N T

A N D

C R O P

I M P R O V E M E N T

D I V I S I O N

W O R K I N G

P A P E R

2 0 0 8 - 1

Table 4. Regional Clonal Selection. Results of harvest in Jirgatal district (02 October, 2007). {Selected clones after the third field generation}. #

Tajik Code

No. of plants CIP No.

302313 1

27/5

2

30/9

Pedigree

BEROLINA x TXY.2 24 DESIREE x 92.187

302328

18

BEROLINA x C93.154 3

34/4

302312

34/6

302312

36/3

302331

37/2

302372

40/1

302478

8

44/11

302090

397036.7 x LR93.050

Weight (kg) (1)

Weight (kg) (2)

Total no. of tubers

Total weight (kg)

Productivity /plant (kg)

No. tubers / plant

Av. Tuber Weight (g)

Mark.

Tubers (%)

150

93

20.5

4.5

243

25.0

1.04

10.1

102.9

82.0

103

25

15.5

0.5

128

16.0

0.89

7.1

125.0

97.0

120

40

13.0

1.0

160

14.0

0.87

10.0

87.5

92.8

126

52

15.0

1.3

178

16.3

1.09

11.9

91.6

92.0

12

White/ oblong

73

30

15.5

0.7

103

16.2

1.35

8.6

157.3

95.7

9

White/ oblong

64

62

11.0

2.0

126

13.0

1.44

14.0

103.2

84.6

10

Red/ oval

52

0.0

11.3

0.0

52

11.3

1.13

5.2

217.3

100.0

33

White/ oblong

196

120

26.7

5.0

316

31.7

0.96

9.6

100.3

84.2

TITIA x C93.154 (beautiful) 7

No. of small tubers (2)

White/ oblong

KONDOR x C93.154 6

Cream/ oblong Cream with pinkish spots on stolon end/oval

No. of market. and seed tubers (1)

15 DESIREE x C93.154

5

Cream/ oblong

16 BEROLINA x C93.154

4

Color of tubers/ shape

R E C E N T

A D V A N C E S

I N

P O T A T O

R E S E A R C H

A N D

D E V E L O P M E N T

43

C I P

#

â&#x20AC;˘

G E R M P L A S M

E N H A N C E M E N T

A N D

Tajik Code

C R O P

No. of plants CIP No.

Pedigree

C92.140 x 92.187 9

47/4

303414

47/8

303414

50/7

302089

50/8

302089

50/9

302089

52/6

303408

57/1

44

303130

R E C E N T

A D V A N C E S

I N

P O T A T O

Weight (kg) (1)

Weight (kg) (2)

Total no. of tubers

Total weight (kg)

Productivity/ plant (kg)

No. tubers / plant

Av. Tuber Weight (g)

Mark.

Tubers (%)

1.2

180

15.7

1.12

12.8

87.2

92.3

19

Red/ oblong

256

65

32.0

3.0

321

35.0

1.84

16.9

109.0

91.4

8

White/ round

120

17

10.0

0.3

137

10.3

1.29

17.1

75.2

97.0

4

White/ round

120

0

15.0

0.0

120

15.0

3.75

30.0

125.0

100.0

5

White/ oblong

35

50

8.5

0.6

85

9.1

1.82

17.0

107.1

93.4

23

White/ oblong

138

80

28.6

2.0

218

30.6

1.33

9.5

140.4

93.5

15

White/ oblong

115

100

15.0

1.5

215

16.5

1.1

14.3

76.7

90.9

392650.12 x 92.187 15

No. of small tubers (2)

14.5

C91.640 x C93.154 14

No. of market. and seed tubers (1)

60

397036.7 x C93.154 13

2 0 0 8 - 1

120

397036.7 x C93.154 12

P A P E R

Red/ oblong

397036.7 x C93.154 11

Color of tubers/ shape

W O R K I N G

14 C92.140 x 92.187

10

I M P R O V E M E N T

R E S E A R C H

A N D

D E V E L O P M E N T

C I P

â&#x20AC;˘

G E R M P L A S M

E N H A N C E M E N T

A N D

C R O P

I M P R O V E M E N T

D I V I S I O N

W O R K I N G

P A P E R

2 0 0 8 - 1

Table 5. Regional Clonal Selection: results of harvest in Faizabad district (03 October, 2007). {Selected clones after the third field generation}.

Number of plants

Color/shape of tubers

No. of tubers

Total weight (kg)

Productivity/ plant (kg)

No. tubers/ plant

Av. tuber weight (g)

DESIREE x C 90.266

11

Red/ round

116

8.5

0.77

10.5

73.3

302313

BEROLINA x TXY.2

22

Cream/ round

185

17.0

0.77

8.4

91.9

29/5

303234

ALPHA x C92.140

16

White/ round

91

9.1

0.57

5.7

100.0

4

30/10

302328

DESIREE x 92.187

11

Cream/ oblong

70

8.3

0.75

6.4

118.6

5

40/1

302478

TITIA x C93.154

10

Red/ oval

38

5.2

0.52

3.8

136.8

6

41/4

302499

YAGANA x C93.154

9

White/ oblong

59

4.9

0.54

6.6

83.1

7

44/11

302090

397036.7 x LR93.050

7

White/ oblong

44

5.0

0.71

6.3

113.6

#

Tajik Code

CIP No.

Pedigree

1

22/16

302330

2

27/5

3

R E C E N T

A D V A N C E S

I N

P O T A T O

R E S E A R C H

A N D

D E V E L O P M E N T

45

C I P

46

â&#x20AC;˘

G E R M P L A S M

E N H A N C E M E N T

A N D

C R O P

I M P R O V E M E N T

W O R K I N G

P A P E R

2 0 0 8 - 1

Number of plants

Color/shape of tubers

No. of tubers

Total weight (kg)

Productivity/ plant (kg)

No. tubers/ plant

Av. tuber weight (g)

C92.140 x 92.187

10

Cream/ round

78

10.0

1.00

7.8

128.2

303414

C92.140 x 92.187

5

Red/ oblong

85

13.9

2.78

17.0

163.5

48/4

302391

LR93.050 x 92.187

16

Cream/ round

106

10.0

0.62

6.6

94.3

11

53/4

302496

C92.140 x C93.154

7

Cream/ oblong

44

3.5

0.50

6.3

79.5

12

53/5

302496

C92.140 x C93.154

21

Pink/ oval

129

8.1

0.39

6.1

62.8

13

55/4

303088

391065.81 x 92.187

13

White/ round

86

9.9

0.76

6.6

115.1

14

60/1

303529

C97.270 x 393280.64

10

Deep red

59

5.0

0.50

5.9

84.7

#

Tajik Code

CIP No.

Pedigree

8

47/3

303414

9

47/8

10

R E C E N T

A D V A N C E S

I N

P O T A T O

R E S E A R C H

A N D

D E V E L O P M E N T

C I P

â&#x20AC;˘

G E R M P L A S M

E N H A N C E M E N T

A N D

C R O P

I M P R O V E M E N T

D I V I S I O N

W O R K I N G

P A P E R

2 0 0 8 - 1

Figure 1.

Lakshe, Jirgatal district: clone 40/1 of TS family TITIA x C93.154 (302478), 02 Oct. 2007.

Figure 2.

A detail of one tuber of clone 40/1.

Average tuber weight: 217.0 g.

R E C E N T

A D V A N C E S

I N

P O T A T O

R E S E A R C H

A N D

D E V E L O P M E N T

47

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â&#x20AC;˘

G E R M P L A S M

E N H A N C E M E N T

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Figure 3.

A single hill of clone 40/1.

Figure 4.

Lakshe, Tajikistan.

Harvest of clonal selection, 02 Oct. 2007.

48

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R E S E A R C H

A N D

D E V E L O P M E N T

2 0 0 8 - 1

C I P

â&#x20AC;˘

G E R M P L A S M

E N H A N C E M E N T

A N D

C R O P

I M P R O V E M E N T

D I V I S I O N

W O R K I N G

P A P E R

2 0 0 8 - 1

EVALUATION OF CIP ADVANCED CLONES, LATE BLIGHT (PHYTOPHTHORA

INFESTANS) RESISTANT, IN GEORGIA (CAUCASUS) 12

/// Carli C. , A. Gulbani and A. Zubiashvili

13

Abstract NARS of Georgia received from CIP 15 late blight (Phytophthora infestans) resistant clones in April 2006. After initial multiplication in the laboratory of Crop Husbandry Institute, Tserovani, a few kilometers far from Tbilisi, they were transplanted in the screenhouse built by CIP for further increase of clonal materials. A certain amount of tubers harvested in November 2006 were planted in a preliminary trial, in a field located in Dmanisi, about 100 km from Tbilisi, in the southwestern part of Georgia, at the altitude of 1 200 m asl. In the field, those clones showed a maturity cycle too long to be considered suitable for local conditions: in fact, at 120 days of vegetative period, tuberization was practically initiating. Moreover, stolon and root development were too important thus making ridging and weeding complicate. The only positive feature was represented by plant resistance to LB that for some clone was good since between 5 and 10% of leaf area was covered by blight spots. Jointly with local NARS we decided to stop the evaluation of B3C1 & B3C2 clones due to their exceedingly long maturity cycle.

Key words: Potato, Solanum tuberosum, Phytophthora infestans, plant tissue culture, long day adaptation, Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, Rhizoctonia solani, Erwinia spp.

Introduction In April 2006, Georgian NARS received from CIP 15 late blight (Phytophthora infestans) resistant clones (B3C1 & B3C2) in form of in-vitro germplasm materials, which were then multiplied by the Biotechnology Laboratory of the Crop Husbandry Institute, based in Mscheta-Tserovani, a few kilometers far from Tbilisi. Once in sufficient number, in-vitro plantlets were then transplanted in a screenhouse built by CIP in 2005 for further clonal material increase. Harvest was completed on November 25, very late for the region, and exactly 166 days after transplanting of in-vitro plants that occurred on June 12.

In Georgia, research has always neglected potato, notwithstanding its importance in the country as a staple and cash crop. The orography of the country is typically mountainous since 54% of the territory is covered by mountains, making potato an extremely suitable and profitable crop for 12

Carlo Carli, Potato Seed Production Specialist, CIP-Liaison Office for CAC region, CGIAR-CAC, Murtazaeva Str. 6, 700000 Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Tel: (998-71) 137 17 82; Fax: (998-71) 120 71 25. E-mail: c.carli@cgiar.org; Web: www.cipotato.org 13 Ana Gulbani, GeneBank Manager & Potato Research Assistant, Aleko Zubiashvili, Agronomist, Crop Husbandry Institute, Mtscheta-Tserovani, Georgia.

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R E S E A R C H

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49

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â&#x20AC;˘

G E R M P L A S M

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A N D

C R O P

I M P R O V E M E N T

W O R K I N G

P A P E R

2 0 0 8 - 1

smallholders farmers who do not have many other resources than farming on plots of 1-2 ha size.

The potato area has increased from 21 900 ha in 1992 to about 36 000 ha in 2005 showing a growth of about 64 percent in 14 years. About half of the potato area is under irrigation.

Statistics of the Ministry of Agriculture report that the main potato cultivated areas are situated in the regions of Samtskhe-Javakheti (12 663 ha), Kvemo Kartli (9 819 ha), Kakheti (4 038 ha), Mtskheta-Mtianeti (2 424 ha) and Shida Kartli (1 834 ha). Potato yield varies considerably from region to region, ranging from 16.3 t/ha of Samtskhe-Javakheti to 4.5 t/ha of Samegrelo and Zemo Sva regions.

About 18 potato cultivars are currently grown in the country, among them the most appreciated are of Dutch and German origin, such as: Impala (very early), Marfona (mid-early), Picasso (midearly), Sante (mid-early), Cosmos (mid-late), Desiree (late), Agria (late), Felicitas (early), Marabel (mid-early), Palma (mid-early), Solara (mid-early) and Clarissa (mid maturing). Preferences are for white skin, and early and mid-early cultivars. Due to well-established lobbies in the country, these varieties are now widely diffused although they do not show particular resistance to late blight that only a small percentage of farmers controls with fungicides.

The selection of LB resistant clones is, therefore, considered a priority for Georgia due to the presence of aggressive strains of the fungus, particularly in the region of Ajara, a sub-tropical area in the western part of the country, where airstreams from mainland and Black Sea often gather together towards the month of July-August with consequent rainfalls and severe late blight infection (Dr. G. Aleksidze: personal communication). However, no characterization of LB fungus has ever been done in order to establish which race(s) of the pathogen is(are) present.

Georgian population in the countryside is alarmed by the consequences that the heavy use of pesticides has on the environment, especially when the numerous and uncontaminated sources of mineral water and health spa are concerned. Local scientists estimate that, if late blight was controlled effectively and safely through the use of stable resistant varieties, the value of potato production would increase as much as 40-50 percent with a correspondent significant reduction in the use of pesticides. This would lead to increased farmer incomes and reduced environmental risks due to the decreased pollution of groundwater and human exposure to fungicides.

Materials and methods During 2007, two activities were implemented by local NARS: (i) increase of clonal materials in the screenhouse and (ii) preliminary observations conducted on the materials harvested last year in a field located at about 100 km far from Tbilisi.

50

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A D V A N C E S

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R E S E A R C H

A N D

D E V E L O P M E N T

C I P

•

G E R M P L A S M

E N H A N C E M E N T

A N D

C R O P

I M P R O V E M E N T

D I V I S I O N

W O R K I N G

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2 0 0 8 - 1

The procedures used for in-vitro propagation of fifteen advanced clones of the series B3C1 & B3C2 in the laboratory of the Institute, and their transplanting in the screenhouse have been documented in a previous working paper (Carli et al., 2006). Transplanting of in-vitro plants was done on May 02 and harvest accomplished on October 16, 2007, that is a cycle of 167days.

On the other hand, in the second activity carried out in Dmanisi, at about 100 km from Tbilisi, in the south-western part of Georgia, tubers harvested in the screenhouse last year were planted in a field for preliminary observations concerning not only field resistance to LB, but, especially, duration of the growing cycle and field adaptation, in general. Soil is classified as “meadow chernosiom”, or black soil. Planting was done early, on April 15. In this preliminary trial, each clone was planted in rows of 10/20 plants with single replication, at the planting distance of 0.7 x 0.25 m (57,000 pl/ha). The plot was surrounded by other fields planted with potatoes of the var.

Marfona, reported having low to medium resistance to late blight on foliage further to artificial inoculum in the field (The European Cultivated Potato Database, 2007). The crop received as basal fertilizers 350 kg/ha of mono-ammonium phosphate, called “ammophos” (11 N-46 P), locally, and 130 kg/ha of ammonium nitrate, called “silitro” (33 N), locally. Potassium was not applied due to the presence of this macroelement in the soil in quantities judged sufficient.

The plot was irrigated five times during the season. Other cultural practices comprised ridging, which was done twice, and two insecticide applications to control Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata, Say) using Confidor (imidacloprid: 200 g/L) that was sprayed at the rate of 0.16 kg of commercial formulation per hectare.

During the growing season, late blight readings were taken on the same five plants per clone during the whole period of observations, on the basis of the percentage of leaf area affected by the disease using a scale developed by James (1971) to determine the LAI (Leaf Area Infection). The first reading was done immediately after the first rainfall that was recorded on July 30, with reading intervals of 10 days until 03 September, after which leaf damages by a hail storm made reading impossible. Results of the readings in percentage of leaf area infected are reported in Table 3. Resistance of different clones to the fungus was then measured using the Area Under the Disease Progress Curve (AUDPC) using Excel (CIP, 2007).

Harvest occurred on October 10. Tubers were then counted, bagged, weighed and stored in a cellar in the premises of the Institute.

R E C E N T

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2 0 0 8 - 1

Results In the field, planting was done early in the season with emergence occurring about twenty days later. At 120 days of vegetative period, the large majority of plants did not show any tuberization, apart from clones 393077.159 and 393371.58, which had very small tubers of the size of a hazelnut (personal observations). Harvest occurred after 178 days from planting. Deducting the twenty days that occurred for the plants to emerge, the remaining 158 days of vegetative period still represent a too long cycle under local conditions. Towards the first week of September the crop was hit by a hail storm that considerably damaged the plants. Another constraint was represented by stolon development that was so important in the clones under observation that the farmer in charge to maintain the plot had problems to control with normal ridging.

Percentage of foliar area infected by late blight varied among clones and ranged from 5 to 30% (Table 3). No fungicide was sprayed on the plants under observation, although the neighbouring potato fields received three sprays of Anthracol WP 70 (propineb + cymoxanil). Clone 396031.119 resulted the most affected with 30% of LAI and some spots on the stems, followed by 391001.18, 393371.58, 396031.108 with 25% and clone 396244.12 with 20% of LAI. According to results reported in Table 3, five clones did not show important symptoms (5% of LAI). Consequently, clone 396031.119 showed the highest AUDPC value (516), followed by 393371.58 (465) and 391001.18 (386). Therefore, considering that the higher the AUDPC the more susceptible should be the clone, many clones seemed to be resistant to the fungus.

The potato plants growing in the screenhouse built in the premises of the Crop Husbandry Institute showed a lot of aerial stolons (secondary stems), which other stolons developed from, at 118 days from transplanting, in spite of well-made ridges about 30 cm high. Plants were also flowering at the time of the visit. We saw similar behaviour in 2006, but we related it to the high temperatures recorded in July and August and averaging 40°C. This year, on the contrary, average temperature was about 10°C lower in the same period of time.

It is important to notice that the plant losses observed last year (plants harvested/in-vitro plants transplanted) were reduced this year, from 50.5% of 2006 to 17% (Table 1). Among the clones transplanted in the screenhouse, plant survival rate ranged from 62 (clone 39004.337) to 96% (clone 396031.119).

Results of the harvest, both in the screenhouse and in the field are presented in Tables 1 and 2, respectively. At harvest that was completed on October 10 and 16, in the field and in the screenhouse, respectively, clones were not productive, just yielding very small tubers.

52

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•

G E R M P L A S M

E N H A N C E M E N T

A N D

C R O P

I M P R O V E M E N T

D I V I S I O N

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2 0 0 8 - 1

Conclusions and discussion B3C1 & B3C2 LB resistant clones sent to Georgia are not adapted to local conditions for one reason: their cycle is so long that nobody would accept to cultivate them, regardless their high level of resistance to late blight.

Length of stolons is also questionable (see pictures, in Annex), which makes ridging and weeding difficult and risky due to the damages that such cultural practices may cause to stolons and roots, thus favouring Rhizoctonia solani or Erwinia spp. (blackleg) attacks. Local preferences are for compact tubers, very close to the plants, and limited root development.

In conclusions, we decided to stop the evaluation of B3C1 & B3C2 clones until new adapted clones will be supplied by CIP. As an alternative, it was decided to test some of the virus resistant clones that have given good results in Central Asia, although their resistance to LB is still unknown.

In the near future, research should also be axed on the study of the population structure of P.

infestans in the country and on the development of an integrated disease management (IDM) strategy to control the pathogen that should be effective, environmentally friendly and economical.

Bibliographic References •

Carli, C. and A. Zubiashvili. 2006. In-vitro multiplication and production of minitubers of LB resistant clones from native germplasm in Georgia (Caucasus). Working Paper. CIP-Tashkent.

•

International Potato Center (CIP). 2007. Procedures for standard evaluation trials of advanced potato clones. An International Cooperators’ Guide. CIP, Lima, Peru. 124 pp. ISBN: 978-929060-258-3.

•

James, C. 1971. A manual of assessment keys for plant diseases. Canada Dept. of Agriculture.

Publication No. 1458.

•

The European Cultivated Potato Database. 2007. www.europotato.org. ECPD version 2.0.

Website maintained by the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency, Edinburgh UK. ITS SASA ©2007.

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Table 1. Tserovani-Mtscheta. Yield of LB resistant clones grown in the screenhouse (02 May-16 October, 2007) #

Clone

Flowering date

391004.18

No. of in-vitro plants transplanted 70

Number of plants harvested 62

(%) survival

Number of tubers

Total weight (kg)

10.06.07

Plant height (cm) 95

No. tubers/ plant

1.4

Average tuber weight (g) 12.0

1

89.0

115

2

391046.14

50

14.06.07

80

47

94.0

88

1.3

14.0

1.9

3

391058.175

59

19.06.07

105

53

90.0

67

1.5

22.0

1.3

4

391058.175

22

16.06.07

114

18

82.0

130

1.4

11.0

7.2

5

393085.5

50

15.06.07

112

42

84.0

110

1.5

14.0

2.6

6

393280.64

51

17.06.07

100

40

78.0

150

1.8

12.0

3.7

7

393371.58

39

16.06.07

97

32

82.0

90

1.0

11.0

2.8

8

395011.2

49

13.06.07

105

41

84.0

105

1.4

13.0

2.6

9

39004.337

21

15.06.07

100

13

62.0

35

1.0

28.0

2.7

10

396029.250

28

16.06.07

120

20

71.0

120

1.2

10.0

6.0

11

396031.108

69

16.06.07

109

61

88.0

179

2.5

14.0

2.9

12

396031.119

97

14.06.07

111

93

96.0

200

3.0

15.0

2.1

13

396034.103

97

17.06.07

110

84

87.0

191

2.6

14.0

2.3

14

396241.4

60

14.06.07

102

43

72.0

100

1.7

17.0

2.3

15

396244.12

135

17.06.07

109

115

85.0

250

3.4

14.0

2.2

Mean

60

----

105.0

51

83.0

----

----

15.0

3.0

54

R E C E N T

A D V A N C E S

I N

P O T A T O

R E S E A R C H

A N D

D E V E L O P M E N T

1.8

C I P

â&#x20AC;˘

G E R M P L A S M

E N H A N C E M E N T

A N D

C R O P

I M P R O V E M E N T

D I V I S I O N

W O R K I N G

P A P E R

2 0 0 8 - 1

Table 2. Dmanisi. Yield of LB resistant clones grown in a farmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s field (15 April-10 October, 2007). #

Clone

Height of plants (cm) 60.0

Number of plants 102

Number of tubers 60

Total weight (kg)

Average tuber weight (g)

391001.18

Flowering date 5.06.07

1 2

1.7

28.0

391046.14

2.06.07

55.0

100

48

1.5

31.0

3

391058.175

7.06.07

62.0

108

44

1.2

27.0

4

393077.159

3.06.07

55.0

90

117

7.2

61.0

5

393085.5

1.06.07

43.0

25

34

1.0

29.0

6

393280.64

4.06.07

40.0

54

67

1.5

22.0

7

393371.58

4.06.07

80.0

120

87

1.6

18.0

8

395011.2

2.06.07

75.0

57

59

1.4

23.0

9

39004.337

1.06.07

39.0

40

50

1.0

20.0

10

396029.250

7.06.07

80.0

87

69

1.9

27.0

11

396031.108

3.06.07

65.0

79

80

1.5

19.0

12

396031.119

2.06.07

60.0

109

88

1.9

21.0

13

396034.103

6.06.07

55.0

69

62

1.7

27.0

14

396241.4

3.06.07

50.0

28

19

1.0

52.0

15

396244.12

7.06.07

60.0

3

8

0.2

25.0

----

58.6

71.0

----

----

29.0

Mean

R E C E N T

A D V A N C E S

I N

P O T A T O

R E S E A R C H

A N D

D E V E L O P M E N T

55

56

The International Potato Center (CIP) seeks to reduce poverty and achieve food security on a sustained basis in developing countries through scientific research and related activities on potato, sweetpotato, and other root and tuber crops, and on the improved management of natural resources in the Andes and other mountain areas.

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