International Field Day on Potato Improvement in Poland

July 16-17, 1998

Mlochow-Poland

Organized by:

Mlochow Research Center

Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute (IHAR), Poland

Cornell-Eastern Europe-Mexico (CEEM)

International Collaborative Project in Potato Late Blight Control

Cornell University, USA

An activity supporting the Global Initiative on Late Blight

In Cooperation with:

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Moscow State University, Russia

N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Research Institute of Plant Industry (VIR)

U.S. Embassy, Poland

Kinki University, Japan

Agricultural University of Norway

Bilateral and Multilateral Agencies Private Sector and Donor Representatives

International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI), Italy

Wallace Genetic Foundation

Global Initiative on Late Blight (GILB): International Potato Center (CIP), Peru

International Cooperative Project on Potato Late Blight Research (PICTIPAPA) Toluca-Mexico

Background

Potato is considered the "second bread" in many regions of Eastern Europe. Poland has the second largest potato producing area in the world. It is in the center of the Potato belt in Europe, spreading from Ireland to Russia.

The potato crop in this region is affected by many diseases and pests. Potato Late Blight, caused by Phytophthora infestans (the Irish potato famine fungus), is the single-most costly biotic constraint globally. In Eastern Europe it causes severe losses.

More aggressive forms of the fungus have spread to virtually all major potato producing areas in Eastern Europe. Urgent action is needed to address this problem.

Research collaboration is being catalyzed on a global scale to develop integrated pathogen management programs in which new potato cultivars, with durable genetic resistance to Late Blight, play the pivotal role. To set this process in motion, an international cooperative program is being established for promoting potato research and technology transfer in Eastern Europe. Initial efforts are with Poland and Russia.

Field Day Highlights

The Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute in Poland, the CEEM project at Cornell University and the USDA-ARS have been collaborating in joint potato Late Blight research and technology transfer activities. Important developments and progress was demonstrated.

The field day enabled participants to:

• Review current progress in Late Blight research, virus research, seed production and variety development
• Develop partnerships and set research priorities
• Identify funding possibilities
• Improve linkages to accessing the latest information and resources
• Contribute to and to develop research projects for joint project implementation in high priority areas

• Broad areas covered in the Field Day, July 16-17, 1998, in Mlochow, Poland included:

• Promising Polish Cultivars
• Demonstration of potato cultivars with resistance to Late Blight and other pathogens Biology and Epidemiology - Several lab and field experiments
• Demonstration of screening methods for resistance to Late Blight and other pathogens'
• Demonstration Plots Advanced clones resistant to Late Blight from the Mlochow breeding program
• Field testing of genetically engineered potatoes Round table discussion on future research and technology transfer

Representatives from: the Mlochow Research Center of Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute (IHAR), Poland; CEEM; GILB; CIP; PICTIPAPA; USDA; donor organizations; bilateral and multilateral agencies; and the private and public sectors made presentations during the field day.

Key presentations included:

• Potato production in Eastern Europe including Poland Breeding and screening strategies for resistance to pathogens
• Status of diseases and pests in Poland
• Application of molecular tools in selection of promising cultivars
• Field testing and commercialization of genetically engineered cultivars
• Regulatory issuesDiagnostic tools for disease detection Genetic resource
• Public/Private sector partnership

The Mlochow Research Center

The Mlochow Research Center (formerly the Potato Research Institute) is a part of the Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute (IHAR) in Radzików, which has research and experiment stations in various regions of Poland. Mlochow is located 25 km from Warsaw. Each year 10 ha are devoted to potato experiments. The Center staff of over 60, including12 scientists with a Ph.D. and 13 with other academic degrees, is recognized as a center of excellence in potato work. The Center specializes in breeding of parental lines of potato outstanding in resistance to virus and Late Blight.

More than 1,800 tuber samples of parental lines have been provided for potato breeders during the past 30 years with emphasis on resistance to viruses, resistance to P. infestans, and high dry matter in tubers. Over 40% of the advanced breeding clones have originated from their work leading to 29 released varieties.

CEEM

Cornell University, which houses one of the largest concentrations of potato scientists in the world, manages the CEEM Potato Late Blight Project. The general objective of CEEM is to lessen the problem of Late Blight through selected activities in Eastern Europe, Mexico and the USA. CEEM is managed by Executive Committee and an International Panel with funding from philanthropic foundations, the private sector and bilateral agencies.

Following the Field Day at the Mlochow Research Center, a 3-day trip was planned to visit the N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Research Institute of Plant Industry (VIR) at St. Petersburg. VIR is one of the world's oldest plant genetic resources institutes and holds over 300,000 accessions of more than 2,500 species, many not duplicated elsewhere. VIR's potato collection includes 9,500 accessions from diverse sources.

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Results

About 80 persons attended the International Field Day activities in Poland. The program gave everyone an opportunity to see the latest research in developing potatoes resistant to various viruses and diseases.

Following the activities in Poland, 31 people traveled to St. Petersburg, Russia, to visit the N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Research Institute of Plant Industry (VIR). Activities included visiting the VIR research plots in Pushkin and the headquarters in St. Petersburg. At the headquarters they saw in the museum office of Vavilov his log book of travels showing the entrees of his visit to Cornell University with notations of receiving plant materials from Dr. Emerson.