Solanum chacoense is a species of wild potato. It is native to South America, where it can be found in Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, Peru, Uruguay, and Paraguay. It "is one of the most widely distributed wild potato species."Miller, J. T. and D. M. Spooner. (1996). Introgression of Solanum chacoense (Solanum sect. Petota): Upland populations reexamined. Systematic Botany 21(4) 461-75. It grows as a common weed in disturbed habitat such as crop fields.Simon, R., et al. (2010). Wild and cultivated potato (Solanum sect. Petota) escaped and persistent outside its natural range. Invasive Plant Science and Management 3 286-93. It can also be found in Australia, China, the United States, England, New Zealand, and elsewhere as an introduced species.
This plant has been extensively researched in the quest to find ways to improve its relative, the cultivated potato (Solanum tuberosum). It is sexually compatible with the common potato. It was likely introduced to regions outside its usual range when it was imported for study and breeding with the potato. Many of the sites where it has been found are next to plant breeding stations and botanical gardens. This wild species contains leptin glycoalkaloids which make it resistant to the Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata), a pest of potato crops.Cooper, S. G., et al. (28 November 2011 Wayback Machine). Combining engineered resistance, avidin, and natural resistance derived from Solanum chacoense Bitter to control Colorado Potato Beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). J Econ Entomol 102(3) 1270-80. It has also shown resistance to verticillium wiltLynch, D. R., et al. (1997). Identification of a gene conferring high levels of resistance to Verticillium wilt in Solanum chacoense. Plant Disease 81(9) 1011-14. and potato leafroll virus.Brown, C. R. and P. E. Thomas. (1993). Resistance to potato leafroll virus derived from Solanum chacoense: characterization and inheritance. Euphytica 74(1-2) 51-57.
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