This work aimed to characterize the isolates of Streptomyces, responsible for deep common scab symptoms in potato, according to morphological and physiological criteria; to evaluate the resistance of potato cultivars to the disease and the aggressiveness of bacterium isolates. The Streptomyces isolates presented gray coloration on yeast extract and malt medium and spiral spore chains, produced on aerial hyphae. Production of melanina occurred in tirosine-agar medium and the utilization of eight recommended carbon sources. These properties correspond to the S. scabies species. Healthy potato seeds of six cultivars were planted in substratum infested with six isolates of S. scabies separately, and the plants cultivated in plastic bags and under open sky. The scab severity was evaluated with a diagrammatic scale and evaluated the tuber production (g/plant). Cvs. Mondial and Jaete Bintje were the most resistant to the common scab with average severity of 10.5% and 14.0%, respectively, followed by cv. Asterix (17.4%), Agata (21.8%), Monalisa (23.0%) and Cupido (23.3%). The aggressiveness of the isolates varied quantitatively, with higher severity for the isolate M4 (34.7%) and minor for the isolate M1 (6.2%). Reduction of tuber production was verified in cv. Jaete Bintje in the first experiment, and when the cultivars were infected by isolates A1, M2 and M3 in the first experiment and by isolate M4 in the second experiment.
Solanum tuberosum; varietal resistance; pathogenicity
