Genotyping of old potato cultivars preserved at the Polar Experiment Station of VIR

Background. The relevance of the study is in the need to improve methods of varietal identification and re-examination of duplicate accessions. It is especially important for large collections that include old breeding cultivars, because they often lack systemized information about their distinctive traits.

Materials and methods. The study covered 39 old potato cultivars preserved at the Polar Experiment Station of VIR, 29 of which were represented by 2–3 duplicate accessions. A search for published data and verification of cultivar-specific morphological traits were conducted, along with microsatellite genotyping and molecular screening using markers of genes controlling resistance to Globodera rostochiensis (Wollenweber) Behrens, Synchytrium endobioticum (Schilbersky) Percival, Phytophthora infestans (Montagne) de Bary, as well as widely used markers of plastid and mitochondrial DNA types.

Results. As a result, individual SSR profiles, information on organelle DNA types, and data about the presence/absence of markers associated with resistance genes for several pathogens and pests were obtained for 37 accessions of old potato cultivars. For 25 out of 29 cultivars that were represented by different numbers of duplicates, SSR profiles were identical for all such accessions, while four accessions manifested discrepancies when compared with their duplicates.

Conclusion. The results of SSR analysis for duplicate accessions confirmed the published data on the prospects of using microsatellite analysis to increase the efficiency of bioresource collection management, especially as far as old cultivars are concerned.

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