Genetical studies on the interrelationships of certain viruses causing necrosis in the potato

Abstract

This paper is concerned with a study of the inheritance of a type of reaction in the potato plants following infection -by certain viruses.The evidence presented herein seems to offer a sound basis from which further incursions into potato genetics may be made with some measure of confidence. The majority of characters in the cultivated potato such as leaf shape, pubescence, tuber shape, time of maturity are quantitative in their expression and unsuitable for straightforward genetical analysis. With the simplified biochemical methods now available, however, it should be possible to analyse the inheritance of tuber colour and most probably other discontinuous characters are to be looked for among the wild South American potatoes. The possibilities of the present material are by no means exhausted and many aspects remain to be worked out. Additionally it is hoped that an examination of the distribution of the lethal necrotic genes among the South American material may lead to interesting results.