Potato wart disease, caused by the chytridiomycete Synchytrium endobioticum, was first introduced into Europe in the late 19th century. It spread quickly, and today is reported in 15 European countries. Initially, only one pathotype was found, and the disease was efficiently controlled using resistant cultivars. In 1941, however, formerly resistant cultivars showed wart formation in the field simultaneously in Germany and South Bohemia (Czech Republic), indicating the occurrence of new pathotypes. New pathotypes have since been reported from Germany, The Netherlands, Czech Republic, Ukraine and Canada. Today the pathogen is present in The Netherlands (only in fields for ware and starch potatoes) but restricted to two demarcated areas and subject to official control. Outside these areas, the pathogen is absent. For pathotyping, different countries have used different sets of differential cultivars, and the usual system of numerical coding of pathotypes has not been consistently followed. In this review we propose a new standardised code to be used for the 43 pathotypes currently known and described in Europe. The code is a combination of a numerical and letter code, combining the two terminologies used by former West and East Germany, respectively. We also plead for harmonisation in the choice of differential cultivars used for pathotype identification. The set of differentials described in the international standard for diagnosis of S. endobioticum issued by the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organisation (EPPO), should serve as a basis. Through close collaboration of European countries dealing with new pathotypes of potato wart disease, a final agreed upon set of differentials, combined with a set of reference isolates, should ultimately be established, allowing a clear distinction between the most important pathotypes occurring in Europe.
Results are given of a survey on the occurrence of pathotypes (races) of Synchytrium endobioticum (potato wart) in both parts of re‐unified Germany. An assortment of six differential cultivars appears to be sufficient to distinguish between the seven presently important German wart pathotypes. A total of ten pathotypes was recorded. Two West and two East German pathotypes seem to be identical, based on the results obtained with presently available cultivars. In contrast to pathotype 1 (common race) which prior to 1945 was distributed over the whole German territory, the ‘new’ pathotypes seem to prefer the central and south German mountain areas.
A key for official assessment of potato cultivars for their resistance to Synchytrium endobioticum (potato wart) is presented. The margin between resistant and susceptible reactions is determined solely by the intensity of necrosis. Low numbers of ripe wart sori can be tolerated, if substantial necrosis occurs simultaneously. The key is a combination of the testing procedures of the two former German States and has been officially applied in Germany since 1992.
Resting spores extracted from wart (Synchytrium endobioticum)-infected potato tubers were used for DNA extraction and amplification of 18S rDNA. Analysis of the cloned, sequenced fragment revealed high similarity to members of the Chytridiomycota. Using this information, specific oligonucleotide probes were designed and arrayed onto glass slides for detection of the pathogen. Viral sequence information available in the databank was retrieved, or new viral sequences were generated, and used to design probes for specific detection of important quarantine viruses of potato. To determine the sensitivity and specificity of the oligonucleotide probes, total RNA from infected plants was reverse transcribed, labelled with Cyanine 5, and hybridised with the microarray. A significant number of the oligonucleotide probes exhibited high specificity to S. endobioticum, Andean potato latent virus, Andean potato mottle virus, Potato black ringspot virus, and Potato spindle tuber viroid. Hybridisation signals of sub-arrays within slides were reproducible (r = 0.79) with a high correlation coefficient of hybridisation repetitions (0.73). Our results demonstrate the potential of microarray-based hybridisation for identification of multiple pathogen targets, which will find application in quarantine laboratories, where parallel testing for diverse pathogens is essential.
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