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Introduction Potato cultivation in these countries is plagued by a fungus that causes “late blight” disease. Late blight occurs world-wide and spreads extremely fast. An entire crop can be destroyed within 1 to 2 weeks under certain conditions. Controlling this disease is essential for resource-poor farmers who depend on potato for basic nutrition. Farmers who can afford fungicides apply them repeatedly. Excessive use of fungicides poses environmental and health risks and greatly reduces farmer profits. Fortunately, a close relative of the potato has a naturally occurring gene that provides resistance to late blight. Attempts to cross this gene into domesticated potato varieties using conventional breeding techniques have not been successful. A gene (Rb gene) associated with the resistance has been isolated and researchers at the University of Wisconsin (UW) have successfully incorporated it into a potato variety that is popular in the US. ABSPII has assisted in transferring the resistance gene to institutions in India, Bangladesh and Indonesia. With ABSPII support, potato varieties have been transformed with the gene. Scientists from the participating countries have been trained to conduct field tests, apply for regulatory approval and undertake outreach efforts. It is anticipated that the Rb gene technology will become an integral component in an integrated pest management system for late blight. This promising approach has the potential to provide a cost effective cash crop and nutritional food source to small scale farmers.
Partners: Bangladesh Agricultural Development Cooperation (BADC), Bangladesh Technology: A resistance gene (called Rb) was isolated from a wild relative of potato (Solanum. bulbocastanum). When this gene is transferred to popular varieties normally affected by late blight they become resistant to the disease. Project Status: INDIA In Central Potato Research institute (CPRI), Confined field trials for LBR potato were carried out for event selection. Molecular characterization studies have been carried out. The identified and selected events will be progressed further for field testing and evaluations in the country. As part of developing biosafety dossier for transgenic potato, preliminary work has been initiated for acute oral toxicity studies, heat and thermal stability study and pepsin digestibility study etc BANGLADESH In Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Confined field trials for LBR potato were carried out for event selection. Molecular characterization studies are in progress. The identified and selected events will be progressed further for field testing and evaluations during November 2009. Expected Benefits:
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