Effector-driven breeding for apoplastic immunity to Phytophthora infestans in potato
V. VLEESHOUWERS (1) (1) Wageningen University, Netherlands

Potato late blight, caused by Phytophthora infestans, is a major threat to global food security. Breeding for resistance has so far been focused on the introgression of nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat (NLR) genes. However, virulent races of P. infestans have arisen and show that NLR-based resistance against late blight is normally not durable. Here, we are investigating whether pathogen recognition receptors (PRR) of resistant wild Solanum species contribute to late blight resistance. The first documented example is the receptor-like protein ELR from Solanum microdontum. ELR mediates recognition of the elicitin domain, a molecular pattern that is conserved in Phytophthora species. Transfer of ELR to cultivated potato enhanced resistance to P. infestans on a quantitative scale. To further complement the repertoire of receptors that recognize apoplastic effectors of P. infestans, we are sourcing from effectoromics screens. We detected Solanum plants that respond to SCR74, a small cysteine-rich apoplastic effector. SCR74 belongs to a highly polymorphic gene family and is present in all P. infestans isolates tested so far. Cloning of the receptor of SCR74 is underway. We postulate that pyramiding diverse types of receptors maximizes the potential of generating a broader and potentially more durable resistance to late blight.

Abstract Number: C20-1
Session Type: Concurrent