DOI: 10.5061/dryad.8pb0b1f
title: Data from: Tolerance and overcompensation to infection by Phytophthora infestans in the wild perennial climber Solanum dulcamara

description: Studies of infection by Phytophthora infestans—the causal agent of potato
 late blight—in wild species can provide novel insights into plant defense
 responses, and indicate how wild plants might be influenced by recurrent
 epidemics in agricultural fields. In the present study, our aim was to
 investigate if different clones of Solanum dulcamara (a relative of
 potato) collected in the wild differ in resistance and tolerance to
 infection by a common European isolate of P. infestans. We performed
 infection experiments with six S. dulcamara genotypes (clones) both in the
 laboratory and in the field and measured the degree of infection and plant
 performance traits. In the laboratory, the six evaluated genotypes varied
 from resistant to susceptible, as measured by degree of infection 20 days
 post infection. Two of the four genotypes susceptible to infection showed
 a quadratic (concave downward) relationship between the degree of
 infection and shoot length, with maximum shoot length at intermediate
 values of infection. This result suggests overcompensation, that is, an
 increase in growth in infected individuals. The number of leaves decreased
 with increasing degree of infection, but at different rates in the four
 susceptible genotypes, indicating genetic variation for tolerance. In the
 field, the inoculated genotypes did not show any disease symptoms, but
 plant biomass at the end of the growing season was higher for inoculated
 plants than for controls, in‐line with the overcompensation detected in
 the laboratory. We conclude that in S. dulcamara there are indications of
 genetic variation for both resistance and tolerance to P. infestans
 infection. Moreover, some genotypes displayed overcompensation. Learning
 about plant tolerance and overcompensation to infection by pathogens can
 help broaden our understanding of plant defense in natural populations and
 help develop more sustainable plant protection strategies for economically
 important crop diseases.
description: Correlations with plant
 weight in S. dulcamara 20 dpi in the laboratoryCorrelations between
 plant weight, total shoot length and number of leaves at 20 dpi in Solanum
 dulcamara genotypes infected by Phytophthora infestans in the laboratory.
 A subset of plants was used to test these correlations at one occasion.
 Plants were infected with high levels of inoculum.Correlations plant weight_S.
 dulcamara_Masini et al. .xlsxResistance to P.
 infestans in S. dulcamara genotypes in the laboratoryResistance to
 Phytophthora infestans in Solanum dulcamara genotypes evaluated in the
 laboratory 20 dpi when infected with high and low levels of inoculum.
 Experiments were repeated 13 times involving two batches with three
 genotypes each. Percent infection was scored at 20 dpi. Plant traits –
 total shoot length and number of leaves - were estimated at 0 and 20 dpi.
 The difference between 0 and 20 dpi was calculated for each trait and then
 used to evaluate the relationship between degree of infection and plant
 traits as an indication of tolerance.Resistance_S. dulcamara_Masini
 et al..xlsxTolerance to P.
 infestans in susceptible S. dulcamara genotypes in the
 laboratoryTolerance to
 Phytophthora infestans in susceptible Solanum dulcamara genotypes
 evaluated in the laboratory 20 dpi when infected with high and low levels
 of inoculum. Experiments were repeated 13 times involving two batches with
 three genotypes each. Two genotypes per batch were susceptible. Percent
 infection was scored at 20 dpi. Plant traits – total shoot length and
 number of leaves - were estimated at 0 and 20 dpi. The difference between
 0 and 20 dpi was calculated for each trait and then used to evaluate the
 relationship between degree of infection and plant traits as an indication
 of tolerance.Tolerance_S.dulcamara_susceptible genotypes_Masini et al. .xlsxField performance in S. dulcamara genotypes in relation to infection by P. infestansField performance in Solanum dulcamara genotypes infected with Phytophthora infestans. Plants were grown in six experimental blocks. Estimated plant traits included the difference in total shoot length and number of leaves between 0 and 20 dpi, total flower production and plant weight at harvest.Field data_S. dulcamara_Masini et al..xlsx