Changes in Photosynthetic Electron Transport in Potato Cultivars with Different Field Resistance after Infection with Phytophthora infestans

The estimation of field resistance of potato cultivars to Phytophthora infestans are usually carried out in expensive and time consuming field experiments over several years. Therefore, a procedure is required for the fast and objective determination of qualitative and quantitative field resistance of new cultivars. This study correlated level of field resistance to P. infestans in leaf discs or leaflets of various potato cultivars to characteristic changes of Chlorophyll-a fluorescence (CF) parameters F^, (maximal fluorescence) and F^. (maximal variable fluorescence). Two different inocula, both containing virulence genes 1-11 were tested. The results were achieved when leaf discs from greenhouse or field plants were each inoculated with a P. infestans spore suspension and incubated for 24 h. In field measurements, comparable results were obtained 48 h after inoculation. The estimation of field resistance by measuring specific CF parameters could be an economical and rapid procedure to reduce or substitute visual lesion assessment for determining cultivar field resistance.