Field testing, gene flow assessment and pre-commercial studies on transgenic Solanum tuberosum spp. tuberosum (cv. Spunta) selected for PVY resistance in Argentina

Transgenic Res. 2012 Oct;21(5):967-82. doi: 10.1007/s11248-011-9584-9. Epub 2011 Dec 27.

Abstract

Solanum tuberosum ssp. tuberosum (cv. Spunta) was transformed with a chimeric transgene containing the Potato virus Y (PVY) coat protein (CP) sequence. Screening for PVY resistance under greenhouse conditions yielded over 100 independent candidate lines. Successive field testing of selected lines allowed the identification of two genetically stable PVY-resistant lines, SY230 and SY233, which were further evaluated in field trials at different potato-producing regions in Argentina. In total, more than 2,000 individuals from each line were tested along a 6-year period. While no or negligible PVY infection was observed in the transgenic lines, infection rates of control plants were consistently high and reached levels of up to 70-80%. Parallel field studies were performed in virus-free environments to assess the agronomical performance of the selected lines. Tubers collected from these assays exhibited agronomical traits and biochemical compositions indistinguishable from those of the non-transformed Spunta cultivar. In addition, an interspecific out-crossing trial to determine the magnitude of possible natural gene flow between transgenic line SY233 and its wild relative Solanum chacoense was performed. This trial yielded negative results, suggesting an extremely low probability for such an event to occur.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Agrobacterium tumefaciens / genetics
  • Agrobacterium tumefaciens / metabolism
  • Argentina
  • Capsid Proteins / genetics
  • Capsid Proteins / immunology
  • Capsid Proteins / metabolism
  • Crops, Agricultural / genetics
  • Crops, Agricultural / immunology
  • Crops, Agricultural / virology
  • Crosses, Genetic
  • Disease Resistance*
  • Gene Flow*
  • Genetic Vectors
  • Plant Diseases / immunology
  • Plant Diseases / virology
  • Plants, Genetically Modified / genetics*
  • Plants, Genetically Modified / immunology
  • Plants, Genetically Modified / virology
  • Potyvirus / genetics
  • Potyvirus / immunology
  • Potyvirus / pathogenicity*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Solanaceous Alkaloids / analysis
  • Solanaceous Alkaloids / metabolism
  • Solanum tuberosum / genetics*
  • Solanum tuberosum / immunology
  • Solanum tuberosum / virology
  • Transformation, Genetic
  • Transgenes

Substances

  • Capsid Proteins
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Solanaceous Alkaloids
  • coat protein, Potato virus Y