Diversity analyses of key genes involved in interaction between potato and Phytophthora infestans
Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute - National Research Institute ·Poland
About this project
<p> A main objective of the project is to improve our understanding of interaction and co-evolution of host and pathogen using potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) and its economically most important pathogen, Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary, as a model. Our main hypothesis is that co-evolution of potato and P. infestans in agroecosystems is based on diversity of the resistance genes present in the cultivated potatoes and effector genes present in the pathogen populations. DivGene project objectives include analyses of the diversity of the potato R genes conveying resistance against P. infestans and of the effector genes of P. infestans. The availability of new technology, combined with large collections of P. infestans isolates and potato cultivars, make the proposed research both novel and feasible. For P. infestans, the project partners IHAR-PIB in Poland and NIBIO in Norway have around 1000 isolates each, characterized both phenotypically and genetically using SSR markers. IHAR-PIB has a collection of over 1600 potato cultivars stored by National Centre for Plant Genetic Resources: Polish Genebank, and NIBIO has an in vitro collection of all available cultivars in Norway. The novelty and originality of our approach is lying in the fact that we propose the diversity analyses of key genes involved in the potato – P. infestans interaction on a population scale, expanding both the numbers of analyzed genes and objects (plant and pathogen genotypes). The results of the AmpSeq-based diversity studies will be complemented with phytopathological tests in which host resistance and pathogen virulence and aggressiveness will be verified and linked to the sequence diversity of the studied genes. We will also perform an expression study of the chosen host and pathogen genes at selected time points during the interaction. Populations of host and pathogen will be studied in diverse conditions of Poland and Norway, thus enforcing our findings.</p>
Bilateral cooperation results
The most important advantage of the international cooperation was that it allowed to test the research hypothesis in two different agroecosystems of Poland and Norway. That broght stronger evidence, better quality of data and more justified conclusions that were published in scientific journals with high impact. Most of the project tasks were performed in bilateral collaboration between Polish and Norwegian teams. Contribution of both teams is confirmed with joint authorship of the published/submitted research paper/manuscript.
Project partners
- Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO) Donor project partner· Norway