Population Structure of Phytophthora Infestans on Worldwide Scale: A Review

Abstract

Phytophthora infestans is a destructive pathogen that causes late blight of potato worldwide. Several sexually and asexually reproducing lineages of the pathogen have been identified and new lineages are more virulent as compared to their parental lineages. A new highly aggressive clonal lineage EU13_A2 has spread into potato fields of Europe, Africa and Asia in place of the older lineages. In North America, 24 clonal lineages US1to US24 have been identified. Despite of sexual reproduction, the overall population of P. infestans in potato and tomato fields is dominated by asexual lineages. Breeding has been done to transfer 'R' genes into commercial potato cultivars through classical breeding and by pyramiding of genes. Defender is the only potato cultivar that has foliar and tuber resistance to late blight. Genetically modified potato with RB gene from Solanum bulbocastanum has been developed but it lacks tuber resistance to disease. This review discusses population structure of P. infestans worldwide and breeding efforts to produce late blight resistant potato.