The Inter-genebank Potato Database and the dimensions of available wild potato germplasm

The Association of Potato Inter-genebank Collaborators (APIC) constructed a database of all wild potato holdings of the most important potato genebank s in Europe, the United States, Peru, and Argentina. The Inter-genebank Pot ato Database (TPD) now contains data of 11,819 wild potato accessions conse rved in seven potato genebanks. The collector's number is the key identifie r used to merge all databases into the IPD. A total of 7,112 different wild potato accessions were identified, which comprise 5,306 accessions with kn own collector's numbers. The IPD passport database showed that almost 30% o f accessions held in APIC genebanks are from Argentina, a country that comp rises less species diversity than Peru and Bolivia. These latter countries are represented by 24% and 20% of accessions, respectively. APIC genebanks maintain 188 Solanum taxa out of more than 230 recognized by the latest com prehensive treatment of potatoes (Solanum sect. Petota) by Hawkes (1990). A bout 60% of the accessions comprise only 20 taxa represented by 785 to 92 a ccessions each. Conversely, 2% of the accessions comprise 72 taxa and are r epresented by five or fewer accessions each. About 70 taxa are not availabl e in any genebank. The IPD evaluation database comprises 5,603 records with data from more than 33,000 evaluations of wild potato accessions. Fifty-fi ve traits are summarized, including the reactions of the accessions to 12 p athotypes or races or strains of 12 fungi, four bacteria, 12 viruses, one v iroid, 13 nematodes, and seven insects; response to heat and cold stress; a nd content of dry matter, starch, vitamin C, amylase, reducing sugars, and glycoalkaloids. About 30% of the wild potato populations screened showed va rious levels of resistance to most of the diseases and pests evaluated. The IPD database is available on the Internet at www.potgenebank.org.