Potato virus Y (PVY) and potato virus X (PVX) resistance breeding in Kenya: applicability of conventional approaches
Date
2013Author
Oyoo, Judy
Mbiyu, Miriam
Otieno, Susan
Muthoni, Jane
Nyongesa, Moses
Lung’aho, Charles
Shibairo, Solomon
Njoroge, Kiarie
Onditi, John
Language
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Potato virus Y (PVX) and potato virus X (PVX) are among the most important viruses of the
potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) crop worldwide. The use of virus resistant varieties is considered
the most effective and sustainable long term way of minimizing crop losses associated with the
viruses. In Kenya, major potato varieties grown do not have effective host resistance to the two
viruses. Among the different types of virus resistances available, extreme resistance has been
found to be durable and most effective. This type of resistance protects the plant against all
strains of the virus and has been found particularly for PVY and PVX. Nature of inheritance of
extreme resistance genes make it easy to transfer to cultivated varieties through conventional
cross breeding. Screening for the two viruses is cheap, simple and straight forward due to the
fewer number of genes involved. In major potato breeding programmes around the world, this
type of resistance has been incorporated in many cultivated potato varieties with reported
reduction in yield losses. Focus on sourcing of suitable parents, hybridization and screening for
the two viruses can make a significant contribution in management of the two locally important
viruses while reducing virus related crop losses.