New Sources of Resistance to Potato Pathogens in old Varieties of the Canary Islands

In the Canary Islands, a number of old Andean potato introductions have been maintained by farmers and are cultivated there since the sixteenth century. Genetic resistance is an inexpensive way to control the main pests and diseases of potato and avoids the use of phytochemicals or other costly protective measures. In this study, we have analysed eight Solanum tuberosum subsp. andigena and S. tuberosum subsp. tuberosum accessions, representing old potato varieties from Tenerife Island, for their resistance levels to Phytophthora infestans, Globodera rostochiensis, Globodera pallida and Pectobacterium atrosepticum. New resistance sources against P. infestans in leaves and P. atrosepticum were found, as well as partial resistance to both nematode species. The results suggest the potential exploitation of the cultivar Venezolana Negra in breeding programmes in order to improve pest and disease resistance of potato.