The Colorado potato beetle [Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)] is a destructive pest of the cultivated potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) in northern latitudes. Combining resistance mechanisms of leptine glycoalkaloids and glandular trichomes with the synthetic Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) cry3A gene in potato may be an effective strategy for controlling the Colorado ...

Phytophthora infestans is an oomycete that causes severe damage to potato, and is well known for its ability to evolve rapidly in order to overcome resistant potato varieties. An RNA silencing strategy was evaluated here to clarify if small interfering RNA homologous to selected genes in P. infestans could be targeted from the plant host to reduce the magnitude of the infection. As a proof-of-c...

Transgenic resistance to plant pathogens and insect pests, although temporarily on hold for potato because of political reasons, offers promise for the future of both asexually and sexually propagated potato. For a system that exploits both true potato seed (TPS) and transgenic resistance, factors that affect transgene expression during and after gametogenesis must be understood. Gene silencing...

We recently cloned MtVP1, a type I vacuolar-type H(+)-translocating inorganic pyrophosphatase from Medicago truncatula. In the present study, we investigated the cellular location and the function of this H(+)-PPase in Arabidopsis and potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). An MtVP1::enhanced green fluorescent protein fusion was constructed, which localized to the plasma membrane of onion epidermal cell...

Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say) is the leading insect pest of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) in northern latitudes. Host plant resistance is an important tool in an integrated pest management program for controlling insect pests. Field studies were conducted to compare natural host plant resistance mechanisms (glandular trichomes and Solanum chacoense Bitter-derived resist...

The potential effect of genetic modification on nutritional properties of potatoes transformed to improve resistance to a necrotic strain of Potato virus Y was determined in a rat experiment. Autoclaved tubers from four transgenic lines were included to a diet in the amount of 40% and compared with the conventional cv. Irga. The experiment lasted 3 weeks and special attention was paid to nutrit...

Abiotic stresses are critical delimiters for the increased productivity and cultivation expansion of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), a root crop with worldwide importance. The increased production of glycine betaine (GB) improves plant tolerance to various abiotic stresses without strong phenotypic changes, providing a feasible approach to improve stable yield production under unfavorable condi...

With the purpose of enhancing environmental stress tolerance of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas, cv. Kokei 14), we transformed this plant with spermidine synthase genes derived from Cucurbita ficifolia (FSPD1). The FSPD1-transgenic plants showed twice as high spermidine content as the wild type (WT) counterpart in both leaves and storage roots. One of the most characteristic features of the trans...

The Amflora (EH92-527-1) potato is a genetically modified (GM) potato in which only starch of the amylopectin form is produced. This has been achieved by intervening with the biosynthesis of starch in this variety of potato. The Amflora potato is solely grown for the purposes of enhancing its industrial application. Although the Amflora potato is not fit for human consumption, the presence of t...

The study examined the effect of ploidy elevation through unreduced gametes on transgene expression in potato. Tetraploid transgenic progenies were obtained from one tetraploid potato cultivar crossed with 2n pollen producing diploid clones harbouring an exogenous transgene (cry3Aa). Both singleand multiple-insert diploid transgenic lines that were regenerated by Agrobacterium tumefaciens leaf ...