Following on from the initial announcement of this project in the GILB newsletter in May 2002, we would like to update GILB on our progress. To recap, ‘EUCABLIGHT’ is an EU Concerted Action funded under Framework 5, which began on 1st February 2003 and will run for 3 years. The project brings together researchers from across Europe working on potato late blight and aims to harmonize methodologies and data from both the host and pathogen and to train researchers in these methods.

The Partners and Publicly Available Project Information

At present there are 77 registered participants of EUCABLIGHT from 24 member institutes in 15 European countries. Detailed information about the project, its aims and objectives, partner institutions and events can be found on the EUCABLIGHT website (www.eucablight.org), which you are encouraged to view. Click on ‘About EUCABLIGHT’ and you can see information in eleven different languages. In addition, we have compiled a list of Late Blight projects (‘related projects’) underway in each of the participating countries, which is useful for identifying collaborators.

The Host

In accordance with the aims of the project, we have surveyed the methods currently in use in Europe for assessing foliage and tuber blight resistance. This was done through discussions between Thematic Group 1 (Leontine Colon (chair), Plant Research International (PRI); Bent Nielsen, Danish Institute of Agricultural Science; and Ulrich Darsow, the Federal Centre for Breeding Research in Crop Plants) with all partners at regional and annual meetings. Methods were agreed and standardized and the protocols published on the EUCABLIGHT website. A training course for members in the implementation of these standardized methods was held at PRI Wageningen in July 2004. Both existing data on host resistance collected by the members and new data collected in 2004, using the standardized methods and including an agreed set of standard cultivars and differentials, has been entered into a database (all databases and website created by Jens Gronbech Hansen and Poul Lassen at DIAS). By analyzing the raw data using standard methods of analysis we will (a) be able to investigate the previous effect of analysis on resistance scores in different countries and (b) be able to investigate the reasons for discrepancies in resistance scores when standard methods and analysis have been applied. For further details on protocols or lists of standardized cultivars, please contact Leontine Colon (leontine.colon(at)wur.nl).

The Pathogen

Thematic Group 2 (David Cooke (chair), Scottish Crop Research Institute (SCRI); József Bakonyi, Hungarian Academy of Sciences and Björn Andersson, Swedish University of Agricultural Science) have collated and reviewed existing methods for assessing variation in populations of Phytophthora infestans. These methods will be tested, standardized and published on the website. A training course in methods for characterizing P. infestans will be held at SCRI in November 2004.

A database has been created into which detailed information on previously characterized and contemporary populations of P. infestans across Europe is being compiled. The database has over 100 data entry fields and includes detailed background information on the origins of each isolate as well as data for existing and novel phenotypic and genotypic assays. A major goal is to examine the genetic diversity of European populations using a standard set of recently developed microsatellite markers. The database is fundamental in achieving this goal, as it will allow detailed analysis of a comprehensive international dataset all held in a standard format.

In addition, DIAS created a data entry tool ‘Phytophthora.exe’ for the direct entry of new data. Currently, data for 9000 isolates of P. infestans has been submitted to the database. Considerably more data is anticipated and the final year of the project promises a detailed examination of the structure and ongoing evolution of the European P. infestans population. The database is also appropriate for the collation of data from other regions, allowing global comparisons of the pathogens origins, global migration and evolution. Further information on the pathogen work can be obtained directly from David Cooke at SCRI (dcooke(at)scri.sari.ac.uk).

This report was submitted just prior to the second annual meeting of the project, which will take place 24—27 October 2004 in Hungary.

Alison Lees, SCRI (alees(at)scri.sari.ac.uk)

Participants taking a break during the host resistance training course, PRI Wageningen, July 2004