Potato Research

The European Association for Potato Research (EAPR) publishes a journal, Potato Research, which includes original scientific contributions on both fundamental and applied research on potatoes, review articles and topics of general interest. It also contains Association news and reports on section meetings (including abstracts of papers presented).
A volume of the Journal (usually approximately 450 pages), consists of four issues, published in the same year. Submission of manuscripts is exclusively online via a web-based electronic submission and tracking system available at https://www.editorialmanager.com/potr

EAPR Members have online access to Potato Research (use the EAPR member login page)
A list of addresses of editors of ‘Potato Research’
Contents of ‘Potato Research’ can be found at Springerlink
Instructions for authors
Any comments regarding the publication and distribution of Potato Research should be addressed to EAPR

Springer Link

https://link.springer.com/journal/11540

Latest Issues

Screening for PVY N-Wi Resistance in Kenyan Potato Cultivars
8th January, 2021
Abstract

Over the past decades, two new strains of potato virus Y (PVYN-Wi (Wilga) and PVYNTN) have been the most widely distributed worldwide in potato crops (Solanum tuberosum L.). Effective resistance genes comprehensive against all the known strains of the virus are available in some commercial cultivars. However, not all resistance genes in cultivars have been challenged by the new PVY strains to confirm effectiveness of the resistances available. This study was set to identify PVY resistant genotypes and estimate yield losses in potato cultivars in Kenya. PVYN-Wi was used for PVY resistance screening because it was the most prevalent strain in Kenya and also was found to produce more severe infection in Kenyan potato genotypes compared with PVYO (the second most prevalent strain). Three cultivars, Kenya Karibu, Sherekea and Unica, were identified as resistant because they did not get PVY infections over three seasons of both greenhouse and field screening experiments. In addition, two early generation breeding clones were identified as resistant at 28 days post-inoculation. In susceptible cultivars Dutch Robyjn, Nyayo and Kenya Mpya, PVYN-Wi infection caused yield losses of 21.6, 39.0 and 53.1%, respectively, after three seasons. This study demonstrated the necessity to screen for PVY resistance based on the most prevalent PVY strains and to make an informed decision on the usefulness of current levels of resistance in potato cultivars.
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Assessment of Treatments to Control the Spread of PVY in Seed Potato Crops: Results Obtained in Belgium Through a Multi-Year Trial
6th January, 2021
Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of several treatments to control the spread of PVY (Potato virus Y) in seed potato crops. Field trials were conducted over a number of years in the Ardenne region of Belgium. Chemical treatments, including sprays of mineral oil, insecticide and a mix of them, were tested along with other treatments such as vegetal oil, plant slurries and Siliforce®. Agronomic treatments such as straw mulching and early vine killing were also evaluated. Trials using the same experimental design were conducted for 6 years but with different protection strategies each year. The key lessons emerging from this research are the following: (i) the use of mineral oil is an efficient way to protect seed potato crops against the spread of PVY, although the protection is incomplete; (ii) insecticides do not work (especially those of the pyrethroid group), although systemic insecticides provide added protection if mixed with mineral oil when activity of winged aphids is high; (iii) vegetal oil (rapeseed oil) protects the crop but at a lower level than mineral oil; (iv) slurries and Siliforce® do not provide control of PVY; (v) early killing of potato vines reduces PVY incidence in seed tuber lots; (vi) straw mulching increases the protection level in crops treated with mineral oil and may reduce the number of mineral oil sprays required.
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Farmer Knowledge in Potato Virus Epidemiology and Control in Kenya
18th December, 2020
Abstract

Potato is an important food security crop in Kenya. High prevalence of potato viruses is one of the major causes of low potato yields. Implementation of effective virus management strategies requires information on farmers’ perceptions and practices on virus epidemiology and control. To better understand farmers’ knowledge and practices in virus control and set possible pathways for intervention, a household survey involving 147 respondents was conducted in two major potato-growing regions in Kenya. Lack of sufficient technical information on potato virus symptoms, vectors and modes of transmission was found to be the major hindrance to farmers’ efforts towards virus control. A spider diagram approach was therefore used to determine the aspect of virus control that required the highest prioritization for immediate intervention by policy makers. Use of virus-resistant cultivars was found to require the most urgent attention compared to other aspects of virus control and was expected to have greater impact in lowering virus prevalence. This study showed that enhancing farmer knowledge needs to be prioritised as this is a key determinant of the success of the virus control strategy to be selected for implementation.
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Latent Infection by Clavibacter sepedonicus and Correlation with Ring Rot Symptoms Development in Potato Cultivars
12th December, 2020
Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the response of potato cultivars to Clavibacter sepedonicus (Cs) infection in a field experiment. The research focused on the infection in a latent form as it is a risk for unnoticed spread. A total of 18 cultivars were tested in the years 2013–2016. Symptoms of the disease were observed on the leaves during growth and in tubers after harvest and after storage. The infection incidence was determined by microscopic observation of leaf and tuber samples stained by the IFAS method. A diverse response of potato cultivars to Cs infection was found. The lowest number of asymptomatic infected plants was found in cultivars ‘Vineta’, ‘Bila’ and ‘Irga’. As for cultivar ‘Stasia’, the entire tuber yield was latently infected by Cs. A low or medium concentration of Cs cells in leaves did not change significantly or increased depending on the potato cultivar. A higher incidence of tubers with disease symptoms was found after the storage period. In eight of the cultivars tested, the level of tuber infection by Cs confirmed microscopically after harvest was significantly correlated with the occurrence of disease symptoms in tubers after the storage period.
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Hilling of Transplanted Seedlings from Novel Hybrid True Potato Seeds Does Not Enhance Tuber Yield but Can Affect Tuber Size Distribution
19th November, 2020
Abstract

A novel cropping system for potato was tested for two consecutive years under normal Dutch agronomic conditions. Seedlings from two experimental genotypes of hybrid true potato seeds were produced in a greenhouse nursery and transplanted into the field 5 weeks after sowing to assess tuber yield levels and to study effects of hilling on tuber yield and number, tuber size distribution and tuber greening. Field experiments had a split-plot design with hilling treatments as the main plots and genotypes as the sub-plots. Final harvest was at 122 and 132 days after transplanting in 2017 and 2018, respectively. Hybrid seedlings were transplanted into small initial ridges and irrigated straight after planting. Three hilling treatments were applied between transplanting and 100% canopy cover. Treatment ‘zero hilling’ did not receive any additional hilling after transplanting. Treatments ‘double hilling’ and ‘triple hilling’ received two and three additional hilling treatments, respectively. Total tuber yields at final harvest in both years were not affected by the hilling treatments. Yields for the respective genotypes were 26 and 30 Mg/ha in 2017 and 25 and 32 Mg/ha in 2018. Total tuber numbers were only affected by hilling treatments in 2017, where under hilled conditions, plants produced more tubers compared with plants under zero hilling. Plants under zero hilling yielded more tubers in size class > 40 mm compared with triple hilling in 2017. In 2018, no significant effects of hilling on tuber numbers were found, but the trend was similar to that in 2017.
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Latest Issues

Screening for PVY N-Wi Resistance in Kenyan Potato Cultivars

Abstract

Assessment of Treatments to Control the Spread of PVY in Seed Potato Crops: Results Obtained in Belgium Through a Multi-Year Trial

Abstract

Farmer Knowledge in Potato Virus Epidemiology and Control in Kenya

Abstract

Latent Infection by Clavibacter sepedonicus and Correlation with Ring Rot Symptoms Development in Potato Cultivars

Abstract

Hilling of Transplanted Seedlings from Novel Hybrid True Potato Seeds Does Not Enhance Tuber Yield but Can Affect Tuber Size Distribution

Abstract

EAPR Sustaining Members