Project Number: 5354-21220-010-04
Project Type: Trust

Start Date: Jul 01, 2006
End Date: May 31, 2010

Objective:
Further identify and quantitate water-soluble compounds in skins of white-fleshed varieties and novel compounds in wild species. Examine whether certain post-harvest treatments increase phytonutrient content. Examine the effects of different levels of nitrogen fertilization on phytonutrient content. Identify potato germplasm with resistance to potato tuber moth, powdery scab, root-knot nematode, and corky ringspot, and study genetics, identify co-segregating markers and develop selection methodology. Identify alternate crops and weedds that harbor the purple top pathogen (phytoplasma) and evaluate the impact of the disease on different cultivars of potatoes grown in the Columbia Basin. Use recently developed, improved procedures for determining the incidence of strains of potato virus Y (PVY) in large numbers of potato samples from production fields and in plants grown from seed lots submitted to the seed lot trials.

Approach:
Analyze as yet unidentified phenolics in potato skins using HPLC and MS-MS (mass spectrometry). We have found markedly different unknown compounds in some wild species, and we will attempt to identify them. We will explore whether certain treatments, including chilling tubers, or spraying tubers with salicylic acid or methyl jasmonate substantially increase or alter the phenolic profile. Screen germplasm in the field and greenhouse. Use field inoculation and greenhouse inoculation methods. Determine the relationship of field and greenhouse studies. Search for molelcular markers associated with resistance. Use polymerase chain reaction methodology to screen segregating progeny. Use the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of the phytoplasma in potato samples, alternate crops, and weeds. Tissue samples will be tested in this laboratory by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for strains of PVY. Documents trust with WA State Potato Commission. Logs 30458, 30459, 31390, 31395. BSL-1 10/30/07. Formerly 5354-21220-002-16T (5/08).