Resistance specificities to viruses in potato: Standardization of nomenclature

Abstract

Abstract Potato viruses are prevalent worldwide and cause substantial economical losses in the potato crop ( Solanum tuberosum L.). Therefore, various types of resistance to potato viruses identified in cultivated and wild potato species are used in potato breeding programs and are briefly reviewed in this paper. However, the current nomenclature of virus resistance specificities is confusing because it was adopted at an earlier time when several virus strain groups were believed to represent individual virus species and because it does not distinguish between strain‐specific and comprehensive resistance specificities. A consistent nomenclature is desirable to distinguish both currently known virus resistances and any novel virus resistances detected in the future. A descriptive and systematic nomenclature for resistance specificities is proposed which denotes (1) type of resistance (2) identity of virus (3) the virus strain group(s) against which the resistance is effective (4) the virus strain group(s) against which the resistance is not effective, and (5) the potato species in which the resistance is described.