IDENTIFICATION OF STABLE RESISTANCE TO PHYTOPHTHORA INFESTANS IN POTATO GENOTYPES EVALUATED IN FIELD EXPERIMENTS IN PERU

��������� � �� ���������� SUMMARY In this study, genotype by environment (G × E) interactions and phenotypic stability of resistance to Phytophthora infestans, the cause of late blight, were analysed in Peru for 13 potato genotypes, using additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) analysis and Huehn’s non-parametric test. The potato genotypes were tested in seven experiments over two years in the vicinity of Comas, Peru, an area used by the International Potato Center to screen for resistance to late blight. Results of the two analyses generally correlated and indicated that quantitative resistance toP.infestans was stable under field conditions for all the genotypes tested. The first two principal components (PCA1 and PCA2) of the AMMI analysis explained 54 % of the G × E interaction sum of squares. A biplot of the two principal components demonstrated a strong year effect in the G × E interaction. By plotting yearly means of the relative area under the disease progress curve (rAUDPC), genotypes could be assigned to one of three resistance categories, resistant, moderately resistant or susceptible, but the need for a more readily applicable and truly quantitative scale for resistance was noted. Based on these studies, standards can be selected for use in screening in the area where they were tested. After further testing in other locations, a standard set drawn from these genotypes could be identified and a quantitative scale developed for evaluation of resistance under short day conditions.