Evaluating the success of 3 R-Gene late blight resistant potatoes in the diverse agricultural landscapes of Indonesia

Monday, July 28, 2025

9:00 AM - 9:15 AM CDT

Location: Ballroom AB

Presenting Author(s)

PW

Phillip S. Wharton, PhD

Associate Professor
University of Idaho
Aberdeen, Idaho

Author(s)

IS

Ineu Sulastrini

Researcher
Research Organization for Agriculture and Food (ROAF-BRIN)
Cibinong, Jawa Barat, Indonesia
KK

Kusmana Kusmana

Researcher
Research Organization for Agriculture and Food (ROAF-BRIN)
Cibinong, Jawa Barat, Indonesia
DA

Dinar Ambarwati

Research Leader
Research Organization for Agriculture and Food (ROAF-BRIN)
Cibinong, Jawa Barat, Indonesia
TS

Tri Joko Santoso

Research Scientist
Research Organization for Agriculture and Food (ROAF-BRIN)
Cibinong, Jawa Barat, Indonesia
EL

Edy Listano

Research Scientist
Research Organization for Life Sciences and Environment (ROLSE-BRIN)
Cibinong, Jawa Barat, Indonesia
RM

Rini Murtiningsih

Researcher
Research Organization for Agriculture and Food (ROAF-BRIN)
Cibinong, Jawa Barat, Indonesia
ER

Eny Ida Riyanti

Researcher
Research Organization for Life Sciences and Environment (ROLSE-BRIN)
Cibinong, Jawa Barat, Indonesia
DD

David S. Douches

Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

The USAID Feed the Future Global Biotechnology Potato Partnership has developed bio-engineered potatoes with 3 R-gene late blight resistance. To study the efficacy of this Rpi-gene stack in the local Indonesian variety Granola, randomized complete block variety x fungicide, confined field trials were carried out at four different locations in west, central and east Java. In these trials Granola 3 R-gene late blight resistant lines were compared to non-genetically modified Granola varieties in fungicide sprayed and non-sprayed plots. Late blight is endemic to Indonesia and the disease appeared in buffer rows two weeks after planting. Late blight ratings were started when the first symptoms were observed in the non-sprayed control plots and carried out weekly until harvest. No late blight lesions were found in any of the 3 R-gene lines in either the sprayed or non-sprayed plots throughout the whole trial up to harvest. After harvest, tubers were kept for 30 days and then assessed for late blight tuber symptoms. No tuber late blight was found in any of the treatments. These results showed that the 3 R-gene stack was able to provide complete resistance to infection by the P. infestans strains present in Indonesia. This data, combined with regulatory information,be used for the development of dossiers to be submitted to the national biosafety authorities of Indonesia for commercial release of the 3 R-gene potato.