Monitoring the Dutch Phytophtora infestans population for virulence against new R-genes

New possibilities offered by marker assisted breeding and GMO breeding have sparked renewed international efforts to breed for durable potato late blight resistance. Phytophthora infestans is however known for its adaptability, a trait confirmed by recent discoveries on the structure of the P. infestans genome. One of the possibilities to enhance the durability of newly introduced host resistance is to monitor the pathogen population for virulence to new R genes, prior to - and after their introduction. The late blight control strategy should be adapted accordingly. The Dutch P. infestans population was monitored during the growing seasons 2006 – 2008. P. infestans isolates were collected from blighted production fields and from bait fields in which R gene containing potato clones were grown without fungicide protection. A selection of the P. infestans isolates collected were characterized for virulence to a range of new R genes using a detached leaf bio-assay. Virulence for all single R genes tested was found. When we focus on R genes Rpi-blb1 and Rpi-blb2, no virulence was found in 2006. One Rpi-blb1 virulent isolate was found in 2007. Another 2007 isolate was found to be virulent to Rpi-blb2. Depending on the genetic background in which Rpi-blb1 was placed 13 or 21 isolates were virulent in 2008. Depending on the genetic background in which Rpi-blb2 was placed 4 or 11 isolates were virulent in 2008. One isolate was found to infect the stacked Rpi-blb1 and Rpi-blb2 resistance genes in a detached leaf assay. From these findings it is recommended that monitoring systems should be part of future potato late blight control strategies. The resulting information on the dynamics of virulence within the local P. infestans population can then be used to enhance the durability of newly introduced host resistanc

Een ontmoeting met de Nederlanders: populatiegenetica van Phytophthora infestans in Nederland gedurende het laatste decennium

Een set van meer dan duizend P. infestans-isolaten afkomstig van aardappelproductievelden en onderzoeksvelden werd verzameld in de periode 2000-2009. De genetische diversiteit van de Nederlandse populatie werd bepaald. De resultaten laten zien dat elk jaar als gevolg van de seksuele cyclus een groot aantal nieuwe genotypen wordt gevormd, waarvan er slechts enkele zo succesvol zijn dat ze lokaal of regionaal een epidemie veroorzaken

Ontwikkeling van een autonome precisiespuit voor de aardbeienteelt in de volle grond : ontwerp, bouw, validatie en demonstratie van een prototype

In dit rapport worden de eerste fasen van de ontwikkeling van een autonome precisiespuit in de aardebeienteelt beschreven. Dit traject is een initiatief van een groep aardbeientelers in West Brabant, Homburg Holland uit Stiens en Wageningen UR – PRI, om te komen tot een systeem waarmee autonoom gewasbeschermingsmiddelen op een zo nauwkeurig mogelijke manier toegediend kunnen worden in aardbeien. Op grond van praktijkeisen is gekozen voor een kleine New Holland landbouwtrekker van 50 pk (type Boomer) als basis voor het eerste prototype van de autonome precisiespuit. Voor het variabel kunnen doseren van middel is gekozen voor de SensiSpray Horti, een sensor gestuurde precisiespuit met luchtondersteuning van Homburg Holland en Probotiq

Population dynamics of Phytophthora infestans in the Netherlands reveals expansion and spread of dominant clonal lineages and virulence in sexual offspring

For a comprehensive survey of the structure and dynamics of the Dutch Phytophthora infestans population, 652 P. infestans isolates were collected from commercial potato fields in the Netherlands during the 10-year period 2000–2009. Genotyping was performed using 12 highly informative microsatellite markers and mitochondrial haplotypes. In addition, for each isolate, the mating type was determined. STRUCTURE analysis grouped the 322 identified genotypes in three clusters. Cluster 1 consists of a single clonal lineage NL-001, known as “Blue_13”; all isolates in this cluster have the A2 mating type and the Ia mitochondrial haplotype. Clusters 2 and 3 display a more elaborate substructure containing many unique genotypes. In Cluster 3, several distinct clonal lineages were also identified. This survey witnesses that the Dutch population underwent dramatic changes in the 10 years under study. The most notable change was the emergence and spread of A2 mating type strain NL-001 (or “Blue_13”). The results emphasize the importance of the sexual cycle in generating genetic diversity and the importance of the asexual cycle as the propagation and dispersal mechanism for successful genotypes. Isolates were also screened for absence of the Avrblb1/ipiO class I gene, which is indicative for virulence on Rpi-blb1. This is also the first report of Rpi-blb1 breakers in the Netherlands. Superimposing the virulence screening on the SSR genetic backbone indicates that lack the Avrblb1/ipiO class I gene only occurred in sexual progeny. So far, the asexual spread of the virulent isolates identified has been limited

1. Verkreukeldevleugelvirus als belangrijkste honingbijvirus : Honingbijvirussen en virale ziekten

Net zoals andere diersoorten, hebben ook honingbijen te maken met virussen. Vaak zijn virusziekten latent aanwezig, wat inhoudt dat een volk virusdeeltjes bevat maar dat de hoeveelheid zo gering is dat er geen symptomen zijn. Zodra de aantallen virusdeeltjes toenemen, door bijvoorbeeld een stressperiode, kan een virus virulent worden en schade aanrichten, met zelfs sterfte tot gevolg. De stijging kan soms snel gaan, mede omdat de honingbijen niet in de huidige anderhalvemetersamenleving zitten, maar in grote aantallen in kleine ruimtes bij elkaar zijn

Epidemiological importance of Solanum sisymbriifolium, S. nigrum and S. dulcamara as alternative hosts for Phytophthora infestans

Lesions of Phytophthora infestans were found on woody nightshade (Solanum dulcamara), black nightshade (S. nigrum) and S. sisymbriifolium during a nationwide late blight survey in the Netherlands in 1999 and 2000. Pathogenicity and spore production of P. infestans isolates collected from potato (S. tuberosum), S. nigrum, S. dulcamara and S. sisymbriifolium were determined on several host plant species, and oospore formation in naturally infected and inoculated foliage of hosts was quantified. The present population of P. infestans in the Netherlands is pathogenic on S. nigrum, S. dulcamara and S. sisymbriifolium. Oospores were produced in leaves of S. nigrum, S. dulcamara and S. sisymbriifolium following infection with A1 and A2 isolates. Therefore these plant species should be regarded as alternative hosts for the late blight pathogen. In the case of S. nigrum and S. dulcamara infection was a relatively rare event, suggesting that diseased plants do not significantly contribute to the overall late blight disease pressure present in potato-production areas. Oospore production in ageing S. nigrum and S. dulcamara plants in autumn, however, may generate a considerable source of (auto) infections in following years. Considerable numbers of sporangia and oospores were produced on S. sisymbriifolium following infection with P. infestans. Additional field infection data are needed to evaluate the epidemiological consequences of a commercial introduction of S. sisymbriifolium as a potato cyst nematode trap cro