First signs of late blight resistance in traditional native potatoes of Pasco—Peru, a preliminary assay

Abstract

Abstract Background The native Andean potatoes, despite their low yield, have a large diversity that is conserved by subsistence farmers in Peru, due to their culinary characteristics and other qualities. However, this diversity is threatened by the impacts of climate change, which would directly affect the food security of these people, and eventually ours. Among its qualities of resistance to pests and diseases, there could be a genetic source of resistance to late blight, one of the most damaging diseases of the potato crop in the world. In this assay, 103 native landraces collected from local farmers in the Pasco region of Peru were subjected to natural infection conditions with Phytophthora infestans to identify potential resistant landraces within them. Results The 103 landraces assessed showed a broad variety of responses and were classified as “resistant” (22%), “moderately resistant” (57%), and “susceptible landraces” (21%). A relative effect of the disease in the yield is also shown, which is already low for commercial intentions. Conclusion Within this representative sample of the native potato diversity of the Pasco region, at least 23 local varieties grown by subsistence farmers have resistance qualities against eventual late blight disease.

Keywords

• Potato landraces
• Andean highlands
• Subsistence farmers
• Climate change
• Food security