Assessment of latent infection frequency in progeny tubers of advanced potatoclones resistant to bacterial wilt: A new selection criterion

This paper reports results of a 3-year evaluation of CIP advanced potato clones in a bacterial wilt-infested field (race 3) in Peru. Clones resistant or moderately resistant to wilt were selected and all tubers harvested from each clone were tested for latent infection byRalstonia solanacearum using a sensitive serological technique developed at CIP. A sampling strategy to estimate accurately the frequency of infected tubers in the clones has been evaluated. This method will allow consideration of tuber latent infection as a new selection criterion in breeding for resistance to bacterial wilt. Thirteen clones were found resistant to wilt in all three evaluations (i.e.≤6% wilt), from which five had no wilt in all trials. However, all clones harboured latent infection in tubers averaging 30%. Analysing 30 tubers/clone provides an accurate estimation of the proportion of infected tubers with a high precision level.