Title: Impact of selected agrotechnical operations in potato seed production on tuber infection with Y and M viruses.

Financing institution: Scientific Research Committee (today NCN)

Implementation period: 2002-2004

Contractor: prof. dr hab. M. Kostiw – project manager (promoter grant)

dr that. Sławomir Wróbel – contractor

Implementing unit: Department of Seed Science and Potato Protection IHAR-PIB in Bonin

Project value: PLN 33,000

The doctoral dissertation made as part of this project by dr. Eng. Sławomir Wróbel was awarded by the IHAR-PIB Scientific Council. ”

Purpose of research:

  • Determination of the impact of various methods of root destruction in combination with other agrotechnical measures used in seed production (seedling germination, use of mineral oil) on the infection of seed potatoes with Y and M viruses of potatoes.
  • Determining the effect of the mineral oil used on the transmission of Y and M viruses by Myzus persicae and understanding the impact of a large number of oil protective treatments on the number of soil microorganisms.

Results achieved:

  • There was no effect of germination recommended in potato seed production in reducing infection with the viruses tested.
    It was shown that the use of mineral oil spraying during vegetation significantly reduced the infection of PVY and PVM potato tubers and reduced the number of observed aphids found on potato plants.
  • In assessing the effectiveness of various methods of destruction of pressure, the most effective was the mechanical-chemical method. Mechanical destruction of the pressure limited infection with these viruses at the level of the chemical method, which indicates its high efficiency.
  • The use of mineral oil contributed to a significant increase in the number of soil microorganisms (fungi and bacteria, including actinomycetes) mainly in the potato growing year and significantly lower in the following year (follow-up plants) compared to control samples.
  • The assessment of the technological value of spring wheat grain of the Nawra variety, originating from a production plantation, located in a place where experiments with mineral oil were conducted in the previous year, showed that the oil used significantly affected only the increase in gluten spread and the share of buttocks in the evaluated sample.
  • In laboratory tests it was found that the mineral oil used caused a delay in the feeding of Myzus persicae on the plants previously coated with it. The greatest reduction in the transmission of PVY and PVM by M. persicae (the shortest retention of these viruses) was obtained in combination when both the virus source and test plants were protected, and slightly smaller when only source plants were protected. The obtained results confirm the hypothesis that mineral oil inactivates virus particles in aphids when trying to purchase it from plants that were previously protected by mineral oil.