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Two isolates of Verticillium dahliae in vegetative compatibility group (VCG) 2B and one isolate in VCG 4A were tested for aggressiveness on peppermint, Scotch spearmint, and native spearmint alone and in combination with the lesion nematode Pratylenchus penetrans. The VCG 2B isolates were more aggressive than the VCG 4A isolate on all three mint species. Severity of wilt was greatest on peppermint and scotch spearmint with the VCG 2B isolates, and CFU of V. dahliae recovered from infected stems were greater in Scotch spearmint when inoculated with V. dahliae and P. penetrans than when inoculated with VCG 2B alone. Wilt severities and CFU in peppermint and Scotch spearmint were not increased when inoculated with VCG 4A and P. penetrans compared with VCG 4A alone. These data indicate that V. dahliae isolates from VCG 2B but not VCG 4A interact synergistically with P. penetrans on Verticillium isolate-susceptible mints. The resistance to Verticillium isolates in native spearmint was not affected by the presence of lesion nematodes.

The ability of several weed species to serve as hosts for tobacco rattle virus (TKV), the causal agent of corky ringspot disease of potato (CRS), and its nematode vector,Paratrichodorus allius, was investigated in greenhouse studies. ViruliferousP. allius multiplied on 24 out of 37 weed species tested, indicating they were suitable hosts of the vector. However, only 11 of these weeds were infected with TRV, as determined by ELISA. The nonhost status of a given weed species was not changed whether the viruliferous vector population originated from CRS problem fields in WA, OR, or ID. Several weeds served as hosts for the vector and virus including kochia, prickly lettuce, henbit, nightshade species (black, hairy, and cutleaf), common chickweed, and annual sowthistle. Virus-freeP. allius acquired TRV from the three nightshade species, volunteer potato grown from TRV-infected tubers, and prickly lettuce, and subsequently transmitted the virus to ‘Samsun NN’ tobacco indicator plants. Thus, some weeds may play a role in the epidemiology of CRS by perpetuating TRV and its vector in a problem field.

Tobacco rattle virus (TRV), the causal agent of corky ringspot disease of potato (CRS), was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in root tissues of field- and greenhouse-grown wheat (two) and corn (10) cultivars. TRV was also detected in some of the same samples by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), but in a low frequency. Compared to ‘Samsun NN’ tobacco, wheat and corn appeared to be poorer hosts of TRV. However, these crops served as inoculum reservoirs of TRV. A nonviruliferous population of the nematodeParatrichodorus allius, the vector of TRV, acquired the virus from infected wheat and corn roots, and transmitted it to potato. ‘Russet Norkotah’ potatoes grown following TRV-infected corn and wheat, were blemished with arcs, concentric rings and diffuse browning, characteristic symptoms of CRS. The observations presented here suggest that wheat and corn as rotational crops will sustain TRV in a CRS problem field and the virus may cause severe damage on subsequent potato crops.

Soil samples from corky ringspot (CRS) problem fields of potato in the states of Washington and Oregon were collected and planted withNicotiana tabacum ‘Samsun NN’ tobacco to bait tobacco rattle virus (TRV) and to increaseParatrichodorus allius populations, the vector of TRV. Pathogenicity of three isolates of TRV was assessed on Russet Burbank and Russet Norkotah plants usingP. allius as the vector. The most severe CRS tuber symptoms were with TRV from Pasco, WA, followed by Umatilla, OR, and Mattawa, WA, indicating a distinct variation in virulence among virus isolates. The lowest number ofP. allius that transmitted TRV resulting in CRS symptoms on Russet Norkotah was three nematodes per 250 cm3 soil. When potato plants were exposed toP. allius at different times in their growth, tubers on older plants were more resistant than younger tubers to CRS. Severity of CRS tuber symptoms was correlated with age of potato plants in pot culture. Reproduction ofP. allius on potato roots did not influence the incidence and severity of tubers symptoms. Under similar conditions, Bintje, a variety known to be resistant to CRS, served as a host forP. allius, yet remained asymptomatic. The protocol employed in these studies is appropriate for testing potato germplasm for resistance to CRS.

Potato germplasm was assessed for resistance to corky ringspot disease (CRS) incited by transmission of tobacco rattle virus (TRV). TRV is transmitted by the stubby root nematode,Paratrichodorus allius, in the Pacific Northwest, and characterized by necrotic areas in the tuber. Four tests were conducted at two different problem fields in Umatilla, OR and Pasco, WA. The fields differed in the virulence of the virus isolates. Some clones and named varieties showed resistance only in the field with the relatively mild Umatilla isolate, while others remained symptomless at both sites. The host suitability of test potatoes to threeP. allius populations from the region was determined in greenhouse pot tests, and expressed as reproductive values [Rf = (final population of nematode at 55 days) / (initial population)]. TheR f values for the nematodes were not correlated with resistance ratings based on visual scoring of CRS symptoms in field grown potatoes. Thus, it appears that CRS resistance is based on reaction of potato genotypes to virus and not the vector. The availability of resistant clones inin vitro form is indicated.

Paratrichodorus allius, a vector of the tobacco rattle virus which causes the corky ringspot disease (CRS) in potato, was identified in soil samples from Oregon and Washington. Two populations from potato fields in Pasco, WA and Umatilla, OR reproduced successfully on alfalfa, wheat, and corn which are commonly rotated with potato, and most weeds associated with this crop in the Pacific Northwest. Greenhouse studies showed thatP. allius was sensitive to low soil moisture, and increased 10 and 100 fold on Samsun NN tobacco in soil above field capacity compared to 1/2 and 1/3 field capacity, respectively. Population dynamic studies for 1996 and 1997 on a potato-wheat cropping sequence showed thatP. allius declined after the winter wheat cover crop was disked in the spring of 1996, and remained low on potato at the 0–90 cm soil profile, with no evidence of downward migration. In 1997,P. allius declined early in the season on wheat, and remained low until June–July when it peaked before declining again. In soil columns,P. allius placed 30 cm below a confined tobacco root system was able to reach and transmit tobacco rattle virus. The nematodes below 30 cm transmitted the virus only when plant roots were allowed to grow to that depth.

Resistance toMeliodogyne chitwoodi races 1 (MC1) and 2 (MC2) andM. hapla (MH) derived fromSolanum bulbocastanum was introduced into the cultivated potato gene pool through somatic fusion. The initial F1 hybrids showed resistance to the three nematodes. Resistance to reproduction on roots by MC1 was accompanied by resistance to tuber damage in F1 clones. Tuber damage sometimes occurred, however, in hybrids of BC1 progeny resistant to reproduction on roots when MC2 and MH were the challenging nematodes. Resistance to reproduction was transferred into BC1 individuals, but a greater proportion of BC1 progeny was resistant to MC1 than to MC2 or MH. Resistance to MC1 appears to be dominant and discretely inherited. F1 and BC1 progeny were pollen sterile, but seed were produced from crosses using cultivated tetraploid pollen sources. Approximately 11 and 33 per cent of pollinations produced berries on F1 and BC1 pistillate parents, respectively. Seed yield increased fourfold overall in crosses with F1 compared to BC1 individuals.

Interspecific somatic hybrids were produced between tetraploid Solanum tuberosum and a nematode-resistant accession of the diploid species So/ahum bulbocastanum by protoplast fusion. Hybrid cells were selected using dual fluorescent labeling of protoplast preparations prior to fusion. Hybridity of regenerated plants was confirmed with a combination of morphological assessment, chromosome counting and isozyme analysis. Somatic hybrids had the same level of resistance to infection by race 1 of the nematode Meloidogyr~ chitwoodi as the S. bulbocastanum parent used in the fusion. Some of the somatic hybrids were fertile as females when crossed with tetraploid S. tuberosum breeding lines. Thus, these hybrids can be used in a potato improvement program to incorporate a valuable pest resistance.

Several tuber-bearingSolanum species were screened for resistance to races 1 and 2 of Columbia root-knot nematode,Meloidogyne chitwoodi. Reproductive factor (Rf = Pf/Pi) was assessed and used to infer host resistance. Several clonal selections in one Plant Introduction accession ofSolanum hougasii showed high levels of resistance to both races. Crosses ofS. hougasii with tetraploid breeding clones yielded 14 vigorous F1 hybrids. Three of these interspecific hybrids expressed non-host (Rf 1.0) to race 2. Three hybrids were good hosts to both races, and one was a poor host to race 1 and non-host to race 2. The occurrence of resistance to both races in the F1 hybrids indicates success in the first step of introducing resistance to races 1 and 2 ofM. chitwoodi to the cultivated potato gene pool.

The mapping of resistance toMeloidogyne chitwoodi derived from Solarium bulbocastanum is reported. A population suitable for mapping was developed as follows. A somatic hybrid of nematode-resistant S. bulbocastanum and cultivated tetraploid potato was produced. This was backcrossed to tetraploid potato, and a single resistant BC1 was selected and backcrossed again to the same recurrent tetraploid parent. The mapping population consisted of 64 BC2 progeny scored for restriction fragment length polymorphic (RFLP) markers and 62 of these were evaluated for the reproductive efficiency of race 1 of M. chitwoodi. Forty-eight polymorphic RFLP markers, originally derived from tomato and mapped in diploid cultivated potato, were assigned to 12 chromosomes of S. bulbocastanum. Of the 62 progeny screened for nematode resistance, 18 were non-hosts and four were poor hosts. The rest were highly susceptible (good hosts). Analysis of the resistance (including non-hosts and poor hosts) as both a qualitative trait and as a meristic trait on which QTL analysis was applied supported the same genetic hypothesis. Genetic control was localized solely to factor(s) lying at one end of chromosome 11. The level of expression of resistance in the S. bulbocastanum parent and the resistant portion of the BC2 was essentially the same. This fact, together with the highly significant LOD scores for one end of the chromosome-11 marker array, supports a genetic model equivalent to monogenic dominant control.

Overwinter N leaching increases the potential for NO 3 contamination of ground water under irrigated desert soils. Our objectives were to (i) identify winter cover crops for recovering N and (ii) determine the N availability following green manure cover crops relative to N uptake by a succeeding potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) crop. A 2-yr field study was conducted on commercial fields on Quincy loamy sand (mixed mesic Xeric Torripsamments). Cover crops were seeded following sweet corn (Zea mays L.) as fall-incorporated sudangrass (Sorghum bicolor L., 'Sordan'); fall- and spring-incorporated white mustard (Brassica hirta Moench, 'Martegena'); and spring-incorporated wheat (Triticum aestivum L., 'Stevens'), rapeseed (B. napus L., 'Jupiter'), and rye (Secale cereale L.). Potato ('Russet Burbank') was planted 3 to 5 wk after spring incorporation of green manures. All cover crops except sudangrass accumulated 112 to 142 kg N ha -1 when planted in August at Plymouth, WA, but N uptake was decreased by >50% when planted in September at Quincy, WA. Overwintering cover crops lowered soil mineral N at 0 to 180 cm by 155 kg N ha -1 compared with bare fallow at Plymouth. Fall-incorporated mustard released greater inorganic N over the winter compared with spring incorporation. Soil NH 4 and NO 3 increased following overwintering cover crops by potato planting, providing timely increases in N availability to the potato crop. Winter cover crops can improve N cycling and reduce the amount of N below the root zone in potato-based rotations.

Leaves of the rapeseed (Brassica napus) cultivar Jupiter used as a soil amendment effectively reduced Meloidogyne chitwoodi population densities at the zone of incorporation. Soil in the zone of incorporation was protected from nematode colonization for 6 wk. Stem and root tissues of rapeseed were also effective when homogenized before being used as an amendment. Greenhouse-grown plants accumulated more glucosinolates and became more effective in suppressing M. chitwoodi with age (.)

Twenty clones showed nonhost reactions (R=