Mutation from single to double pathogenicity in races 1, 3 and 4 of Phytophthora infestans was studied. Transfer from suboptimal to optimal cultural conditions facilitated the development of pathogenicity 4 in the races 1 and 3 and pathogenicity 3 in race 4. The new pathogenicities functioned for some time independently of the original. The mere presence of two pathogenicities in the same mycelium did not result in pathogenicity on the corresponding double‐R‐genotype. The reasons for this and for the finally developing ability for the P‐genes to interact and attack double resisters of the potato is discussed. It is concluded that the R‐genes of the potato interact to produce a specific substance impossible for the single P‐genes to overcome when separate. The results support the hypothesis that the P‐genes are allelic and that interallelic recombination results in the creation of a new allele causing pathogenicity on corresponding combined R‐genotypes. This hypothesis is tentative in the absence of fundamental facts regarding the nuclear cycle of Phytophthora.
Recombination of pathogenicities was studied after mixed infection with pairwise combinations of the races 1, 3 and 4. Out of those 1+3 and 1+4 yielded race 1234 while 3+4 only resulted in race 34. Race 1 on one hand and races 3 and 4 on the other are supposed to carry different parts of a P2 structure. The results indicate noncomplementation within the nucleus. Interallelic recombination is therefore supposed to yield a complete P2 in combination with P1 and P3 or P4 plus the mutated P4 and P3 respectively.
The possible occurrence and action of an extranuclear structure, temporarily selfreplicating and distributing in vast sectors of the mycelium, can not for the present be neglected.