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Potato - Bangladesh

Project: LATE BLIGHT RESISTANT (LBR) POTATO
   
Introduction: Potato is an important vegetable crop in India, Bangladesh and Indonesia, primarily grown by resource-poor farmers. Potato is a highly nutritious food that provides many essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids, and is an important supplemental source of nutrients and calories for people living on rice-dominated diets.

Potato cultivation in these countries is plagued by a fungus that causes “late blight” disease. Late blight occurs world-wide and spreads extremely fast. An entire crop can be destroyed within 1 to 2 weeks under certain conditions. Controlling this disease is essential for resource-poor farmers who depend on potato for basic nutrition. Farmers who can afford fungicides apply them repeatedly. Excessive use of fungicides poses environmental and health risks and greatly reduces farmer profits.

Fortunately, a close relative of the potato has a naturally occurring gene that provides resistance to late blight. Attempts to cross this gene into domesticated potato varieties using conventional breeding techniques have not been successful. A gene (Rb gene) associated with the resistance has been isolated and researchers at the University of Wisconsin (UW) have successfully incorporated it into a potato variety that is popular in the US.

Control of late blight by introducing the resistance gene has been a goal of potato breeders for decades. Public Institutions in India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Peru, Mexico, and the US are working to develop the Rb gene technology. It is anticipated that the Rb gene technology will become an integral component in an integrated pest management system for late blight. This promising approach has the potential to provide a cost effective cash crop and nutritional food source to small scale farmers.

ABSPII will assist in transferring the resistance gene to institutions in India, Bangladesh and Indonesia. With ABSPII support, potato varieties will be transformed with the gene and scientists from those countries will be trained to conduct field tests, apply for regulatory approval and undertake outreach efforts.
   
Project Manager: K. Raman, Associate Director, South Asia
   
Participating Countries : Bangladesh, India, Indonesia
   
Term: 2004-2007
   
Partners:
   
Technology: A resistance gene (called Rb) was isolated from a wild relative of potato (Solanum. bulbocastanum). When this gene is transferred to popular varieties normally affected by late blight they become resistant to the disease.
   
Project Status:
  • Scientists in partnering countries have received the Rb gene from UW and are transforming it into selected potato varieties.
  • Scientists in partnering countries have received potatoes bioengineered with the Rb gene and are crossing selected Indian varieties with these potatoes.
  • Indonesian and Indian partners are testing to determine whether the Rb gene is effective against local strains of late blight.
  • If the Rb technology is shown to be effective, efforts to develop this technology will be accelerated in each partner country.
  • Conduct preliminary socio-economic impact study.
   
Expected Benefits :
  • Small scale farmers could benefit economically from increased yields, improved potato quality and savings from reduced fungicide sprays.
  • Environmentally, soil conditions could improve from a decline in the use of fungicide sprays.
  • Countries gain access to advanced biotechnology.
  • Collaboration among potato scientists in South and South East Asia to exchange research data, field testing and commercialization of new potato varieties.

 

Potato - Bangladesh
   
Economic Importance: In Bangladesh, potato is an increasingly important crop. Farmers currently use over 20 sprays per season to control late blight. Average loss due to late blight is estimated at 30% and total losses are not uncommon.
   
Partners Within the Country: Bangladesh Agricultural Development Cooperation (BADC)
Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Potato Research Center (BARI-PRC)
   
Planned Activities and Milestones:
  • Scientists at BARI have used the Rb gene from UW and are introducing it into selected potato varieties.
  • Scientists at BARI have worked in Indonesia with potatoes bioengineered with the Rb gene and are using conventional plant breeding techniques to cross them to selected domestic varieties.
  • Contained field trials will be conducted to assess effectiveness of the technology against local strains of late blight.
  • The team will conduct biosafety studies in Bangladesh.
   

 

  
 
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