Genetic variations underlying root-knot nematode resistance in sweetpotato

Root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) causes severe crop damage and large economic losses worldwide. Several cultivars of sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam)] have been developed with root-knot nematode-resistant traits; however, many of these cultivars do not have favorable agronomic characteristics. To understand the genetic traits underlying M. incognita resistance in sweetpotato, whole genome resequencing was conducted on three RKN-susceptible (Dahomi, Shinhwangmi, and Yulmi) and three RKN-resistant (Danjami, Pungwonmi, and Juhwangmi) sweetpotato cultivars. Three SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) in promotor sequences were shared in RKN-resistant cultivars and were correlated with disease resistance. One of these SNPs was located in G6617|TU10904, which encoded a homolog of RIBOSOMAL PROTEIN EL15Z, and was associated with reduced expression in RKN-resistant cultivars only. Alongside SNP analysis, mRNA-seq data were analyzed for the same cultivars with and without nematode infection, and 18 nematode-sensitive genes were identified that responded in a cultivar-specific manner. Of these genes, expression of G8735|TU14367 was lower in sensitive cultivars than in RKN-resistant cultivars. Overall, this study identified two genes that potentially have key roles in the regulation of nematode resistance and will be useful targets for nematode resistance breeding programs.