WERA_OLD89: Potato Virus Disease Control
(Multistate Research Coordinating Committee and Information Exchange Group)
Status: Inactive/Terminating
WERA_OLD89: Potato Virus Disease Control
Duration: 10/01/2001 to 09/30/2006
Administrative Advisor(s):
NIFA Reps:
Non-Technical Summary
Statement of Issues and Justification
Potato viruses represent a large portion of the disease problems that routinely face the potato industry. Control of these virus diseases is expensive, but has been accomplished using seed certification programs. In recent years, however, potato breeding programs have introduced a number of cultivars that have good agronomic characteristics, but often lack adequate virus disease expression. Efforts to control diseases in these potatoes (virus susceptible, but with an almost latent disease expression) have been of major concern to certification programs. Through good communication between the breeding and certification programs, the newest cultivars being released appear to have both agronomic characteristics and some level of virus resistance. Additionally, screening programs are weeding out those cultivars with latent expression to major viruses. Other recent efforts by commercial companies and universities have incorporated virus resistance into existing cultivars through biotechnology. Further development of this science has been slowed by lack of consumer acceptance. Finally, import of new cultivars from outside of the typical U.S. system are also straining the system regarding cultivar/virus interactions and symptomology.
The main cultivars in the western region of the country are Russet Burbank, Shepody and Russet Norkotah. Each is affected by leafroll and mosaic viruses. In the case of Russet Burbank, which represents 70-80% of the acreage in the Pacific Northwest, leafroll virus can cause substantially reduced yields and net necrosis symptoms in the tuber. When affected potatoes are graded, a small percentage of net necrosis in the internal defect column will result in rejecting the lot from market use, either fresh or processing. All three cultivars are susceptible to yield limiting mosaic viruses. In particular, Shepody and Russet Norkotah are almost latent carriers of PVY-mosaic. Recent studies on Russet Burbank show that expression of PVA-mosaic is more limited than PVY-mosaic expression, making it more difficult for seed growers to remove diseased plants from seed lots. This may help explain recent difficulties in controlling PVA in Russet Burbank.
Emerging viruses pose a constant threat to seed and commercial potato production. In the last five years, PVA and PVM were not known in the West. PVM seems to have been contained by the efforts of certification programs, while PVA appears to have become endemic in certain regions. Effects on yields from these viruses and new strains of older viruses are not well known and are confounding an already difficult situation. Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV) has shown up from time to time in the western region and while not currently a problem, this and other viruses are significant problems in areas where they have become endemic. Also, when a new virus or virus strain is detected, there is rarely specific antiserum available to allow for widespread surveys of seed programs. Emerging viruses pose a wider threat to the potato industry as a whole simply because the industry moves more seed each year from more diverse areas to answer production needs. More ...
Objectives
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To provide a regional forum for the exchange of ideas through cooperation and collaboration among those involved in potato virus disease research for the long term goal of improving plant health and crop sustainability. Inherent in this is the pursuit of shared grant and funding opportunities, where appropriate, by WCC-89 participants.
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To assist participants in the identification, transfer and utilization of knowledge, methods and resources. Additionally, resources will be directed toward dissemination of information to concerned parties for implementation of potato virus disease control strategies.
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To act in an advisory capacity with regional and national organizations for the purpose of evaluating concerns, recommending policies and reviewing quarantine and seed certification issues, and other pertinent matters as they relate to potato viruses and their control.
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Procedures and Activities
Expected Outcomes and Impacts
- Identification of priority research issues and development of cooperative strategies to obtain funding, conduct the research and publish the results.
- Identification and characterization of new virus problems, new virus strains and virus-like organisms (phytoplasmas) with dissemination of this information to WCC-89 members and the potato industry.
- Maintaining strong relationships with state certification programs and encouraging the standardization of testing methods for potato viruses and phytoplasmas.
- Cooperation with WCC-027 to identify reactions of new clonal selections to specific virus diseases affecting the potato crop in the west.
- Exchanging ideas and information through the use of annual meetings and brief publications specifically directed at interested clientele, and routine communication (i.e. e-mail, FAX, Internet resources, etc.).
- Acting as a resource group which would provide advice and recommendations to impact policy relating to: a) germplasm importation, b) development of new transgenic potato cultivars, c) utilization of transgenic resistance and germplasm, d) seed certification issues dealing with potato virus diseases and e) other pertinent potato virus or phytoplasma related issues.
Projected Participation
View Appendix E: ParticipationEducational Plan
A brief annual report, including identified research priorities for the region, plus individual summaries from each participant at the annual meeting will be generated. Minutes of the meeting plus the annual report/summaries will be sent to each committee member. In addition, the annual report will be sent to appropriate Deans and Ag. Experiment Station Directors, key legislators and identified clientele (i.e., potato grower groups within the region). A one page review of committee activities and its role will be submitted to the major western potato industry magazines for grower information. Finally, an e-mail network of potato virus workers will be established and pertinent information will be made accessible through the Internet to the potato industry.
Organization/Governance
The committee will utilize a three-officer system containing a Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and general membership. Each year a new Secretary shall be elected at the annual meeting. At the end of the annual meeting, the previous year's Secretary will move into the Vice Chair position and the Vice Chair will move into the Chair position. There will be an effort made to spread the officer duties around the western region so that no one state or area will have all of the officer functions at any given time. In addition, a subcommittee will be established each year for the purpose of handling the annual meeting details. Annual meetings will be rotated around the Western Region.
Literature Cited