A Case Study of RNA-Silencing Resistance against Potato Virus (PVY) in Condition of Climate Change

Abstract

Global environmental issues shift crop production to the new conditions. This increases all kinds of biotic and abiotic stresses, beside others also plant diseases. Such changes are also in Kazakhstan where potato production is dramatically increasing, and crop is growing in regions with continental climate. Problems with potato virus type Y (PVY) need cultivars with better resistance. Introduction of silencing small interfering RNA (siRNA) is new technology. In vitro experiment was done on potato (Solanium tuberosum L.) local cultivar Izolda. Results show significant effect of siRNA in decreasing mortality and occurrence of PVY symptoms and allow expansion of potato cultivation to continental climate conditions, where are faced with new virus problems.