Development of
Potato Tuber Moth (PTM) Resistance
in Potato

Potato, Solanum tuberosum, is an important crop in Egypt for consumption and export. Recently, the market for potato is rapidly growing. Among the main pests of potato is potato tuber moth (PTM) Phthorimaea operculella. This insect is widely distributed in temperate and tropical regions. The larvae can cause damage to leaves and tubers either in field or during storage.

Insects are susceptible to toxins produced by Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), an entomopathogen, widely used as a biocontrol agent. The crystal proteins encoded by a single gene now have been implicated through recombinant DNA technology in pest control. The goal set forth is to produce transgenic potato plants which express these toxins to avoid insects attack, and minimize the need for other costly method for controlling insects.

OBJECTIVES

•  Identification, isolation and cloning of Bt-endotoxin genes from Egyptian isolates of Bt.

•  Development of a standard bioassay procedure for testing Bt against PTM and other insect pests.

•  Improvement of regeneration and transformation system for important potato cultivars.

•  Evaluation of Bt-transgenic potato lines in greenhouses and field conditions.

ACHIEVEMENTS

•  Establishment of regeneration and transformation system in potato.

•  Production of potatively transgenic potato lines resistant to PTM using Bt Cry IAc and Cry V.

•  Evaluation of transgenic potato lines by conducting small scale field trials.