Project Title:

An Integrated Biosciences Platform For The Future Control Of Potato Late Blight On The Island Of Ireland

Funding:

Department of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries - Research Stimulus Fund

Project duration:

November 2007- December 2011

Project participants:

Teagasc Oak Park

AFBI, New Forge Lane, Belfast

Bangor University, Wales

Project objectives:

This multi-institutional project encompasses several disciplines that include plant pathology, plant genomics and bioinformatics in addition to a sub-project that is tasked with assessing the impact on populations of late blight of using GM blight-resistant potato varieties. Specifically, the objective of this part of the programme is to examine the efficacy and durability of novel blight resistance sources.

Research abstract:

The goal of this project is to underpin future strategies for the effective control of late blight on the island of Ireland. Combined control and yield loss costs associated with blight exceed €11 million pa. In 2005, a new A2 genotype first detected in the southeast of England, rapidly dominated the population in Great Britain, increasing the potential for sexual reproduction.

Most significantly this could lead to a novel mode of infection by long-lived soil-borne oospores, rendering infected land uneconomic for potato production. It is almost certain that this A2 genotype will reach Ireland. In response we propose an integrated three strand project to deal with the above scenario.

Firstly, monitoring blight populations in Ireland through phenotypic and genetic marker-based technology will reveal existing levels of diversity; thereby providing a system to detect the arrival of new strains and indicate the risk of sexual reproduction. Secondly, assessment of the interaction between current blight strains and new resistant germplasm will allow us to predict the durability of these resistance sources, and their effect on pathogen evolution.

Finally, maximising Teagasc’s bioinformatics-based capacity to utilise information from the international potato genome sequencing initiative will provide a basis for continued development of highly blight resistant varieties in the future.

Results:

Upon completion of the sub-project that is relevant to the GM risk assessment programme at Oak Park, all relevant datasets will be collated and the research findings submitted for publication in peer reviewed scientific journals. Once the scientific merit of the results has been validated, they will be available for your information on gmoInfo.