R274 Survey of GB Late Blight Populations

Aim: To monitor the occurrence of the A2 late blight mating type in GB.

This project builds on previous work that monitored the occurrence of the A2 mating type in GB.  The work suggested that the proportion of A2s was increasing in England. In this new project a larger number of samples, collected through the Potato Council’s  Fight Against Blight campaign, will be analysed to determine the proportion and distribution of A2s in GB.

High-throughput genetic analysis will be used to monitor changes in blight populations. This information, in combination with the mating type testing and visual inspection of leaves for oospores, will be used to target outbreaks thought to be derived from oospores.

The potential for oospore production, and the conditions under which germination and infection occur, will also be investigated and the potential impacts for disease control assessed.

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