Characterization of Resistance in a Somatic Hybrid of Solanum bulbocastanum and S. tuberosum, to Meloidogyne chitwoodi.

A somatic hybrid, CBP-233, between resistant Solanum bulbocastanum (SB-22) and susceptible S. tuberosum (R4) was tested for resistance to Meloidogyne chitwoodi race 1. One week after inoculation, only 0.04-0.4% of the initial inoculum (Pi, 5,000 eggs) as second stage-juveniles infected SB-22 and CBP-233 root systems, compared to 2% in R4. After 8 weeks, the number of M. chitwoodi in SB-22 and CBP-233 roots remained lower (0.3-1.5% of Pi) compared to R4, which increased from 2% to ca. 27%. Development of M. chitwoodi was delayed on SB-22 and CBP-233 by at least 2 weeks, and only half of the infective nematodes established feeding sites and matured in resistant clones compared to 99% in susceptible R4. Necrotic tissue surrounded nematodes that failed to develop in SB-22 and CBP-233. The reproductive factor (ratio of final number of eggs recovered from roots to Pi) was <0.01 for both SB-22 and CBP-233 and 46.8 for R4. Delaying inoculation of CBP-233 from 1 to 3 months after planting did not increase the chance or rate of tuber infection. Only a few M. chitwoodi developed to maturity on CBP-233 tubers and deposited a small number of eggs. SB-22 rarely produced tubers in these experiments, and like CBP-233 were resistant to M. chitwoodi. It appeared that the mechanisms of resistance to M. chitwoodi in roots and tubers of CBP-233 are similar.