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Potato - Indonesia

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 - Indonesia
   
Economic Importance: Indonesia is the largest potato producer and consumer in South East Asia. Between 1969 and 1995, potato production in Indonesia grew by an average of over 13% per year, more rapidly than in any other country in the world. By the mid-1990s, total annual production exceeded 1 million tons. Potato production is dominated by small-scale farmers who are dispersed over highland areas at about 1200 meters above sea level.

In addition to the lack and high price of good quality seeds, stresses caused by insect pests and plant diseases are major constraints for potato production. Late Blight can cause a yield loss between 12 to 31% in the field depending on environmental factors and potato variety, but can also lead to yield loss of up to 100%. To control this disease, farmers apply various fungicides intensively, spending 13.5% of their potato cultivation budget on disease control.

   
Partners Within the Country: Indonesian Agency for Agricultural Research and Development (IAARD)
Indonesian Center for Agricultural Biotechnology and Genetic Resources Research and Development (ICABIOGRAD)
Indonesian Vegetable Research Institute (IVEGRI)
   
Planned Activities and Milestones:
  • Scientists at ICABIOGRAD have received the Rb gene from UW and are transferring it into selected potato varieties.
  • Scientists at IVEGRI have received shoot and stem cuttings from potatoes bioengineered with the Rb gene and are using conventional plant breeding techniques to cross them to selected domestic varieties.
  • Indonesian partners provided short-term training to Bangladesh scientists and assistance in crossing Bangladesh materials.
  • Indonesian partners are testing the naturally resistant wild potato to determine whether the Rb gene is effective against local strains of late blight.
  • The team will conduct biosafety studies in Indonesia.
  • Indonesian partners are applying for regulatory approval for field trials.
   

 

  
 
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