SELECTION OF POTATO GERMPLASM (Solanum tuberosum L.) WITH TOLERANCE CHARACTERISTICS TO POTATO PURPLE TOP SYNDROME

Currently, the management and control of potato purple top syndrome is done by chemical control of the vector with massive applications of pesticides with a great adverse effect on the environment and human health.Therefore, it is essential to generate alternatives that allow a profitable and sustainable production for the producer, such as the use of varieties with characteristics of tolerance or resistance to the disease.The objective of this study was to select germplasm with tolerance characteristics to potato purple top syndrome, caused mainly by the bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum.Ten potato genotypes (eight clones and the commercial varieties Gigant and Mondial) were evaluated.The variables evaluated for the selection of germplasm with tolerance characteristics to potato purple top syndrome were the percentage of tuber browning and sprouting.The damage values recorded based on tuber browning ranged from light (L) to very heavy (F+), especially when insecticides were not applied.Likewise, the percentage of tuber sprouting was variable among the different materials evaluated, highlighting clones 1-6-1, 1-13-1, 4-5-6, 4 and the commercial variety Gigant.The bacterium was detected in all materials from DNA extracted from tuber pulp.However, this pathogen was not detected when using DNA extracted from shoots from the same tubers that tested positive.With these results, the clones that showed the least tuber browning damage and the highest percentage of sprouting are an alternative for the selection of materials with tolerance to potato purple top syndrome.