Name
Powdery Scab of Potato: Expanding Genomic Resources for the Pathogen and the Host
Date & Time
Tuesday, July 19, 2022, 2:00 PM
Description

Potato powdery scab, caused by the soil borne pathogen protist, Spongospora subterranea, is a disease that impacts potato marketability and yield by causing pustule scabs of resting spores on tubers. Motile secondary zoospores cause galling symptoms on the root system and stolons. This pathogen is difficult to manage due to the durability of the resting spores, shortage of effective chemicals, need for host resistant cultivars, and an overall lack of information about the disease cycle due to the organism being an obligate biotroph. The objective of this study is to develop whole genome sequence resources, and to identify regions in the potato genome associated with the resistance to powdery scab. We are currently performing PacBio HiFi sequencing to assemble a more contiguous genome scaffold of the pathogen. This genomic information will allow us to look for genetic factors associated with the pathogens life history and pathogenicity. It may also provide insights about how S. subterranea interacts with the environment, microbes in the environment, and the potato plant and tuber to result in disease. In addition, we are currently assessing the relative resistance of 11 potato clones in a greenhouse study to identify resistant germplasm for future genetic mapping and identification of linked molecular markers. A fully sequenced genome for S. subterranea as well as identifying informative molecular markers linked to resistance will be crucial for breeding powdery scab resistant cultivars, suppressing disease, and investigating the pathogens life history and how it interacts with the environment.

Session Type
Oral
Parent Session
7/19 - Concurrent Sessions F