Electron Beam Irradiation to Control Rhizoctonia solani in Potato

Abstract

This study focuses on the influence of pre-planting irradiation on the development, health, and yield of seed potatoes infected with Rhizoctonia solani. The research was prompted by the need to ensure crop security and sustainability in the modern-day environment, which calls into question the future sufficiency of crop yields. Considering that the focus has shifted to non-chemical methods of crop treatment at all plant development stages in response to more stringent regulations governing potato production, it is particularly important to refine physics-based methods to suppress fungal diseases caused by Rhizoctonia solani. Irradiation of tubers with 20–150 Gy inhibited the potato development phases and the doses exceeding 150 Gy completely suppressed the potato sprouting. Doses ranging from 20 Gy to 100 Gy decreased the quantity of large tubers by 10–20% on average while the number of medium and small tubers increased by 5–15% and 3–10%, respectively. Irradiation of seed potatoes also decreased the sclerotia and non-sclerotia forms of diseases caused by Rhizoctonia solani in the harvested tubers. It was found that 1 MeV electron irradiation with doses ranging from 20 Gy to 30 Gy is the most efficient for the pre-planting treatment of seed potatoes since the penetration of low-energy accelerated electrons into the upper layers of potato tubers ensures the suppression of diseases caused by Rhizoctonia solani by at least 10% from the value of non-irradiated samples and prevents the reduction of total yield allowing for a maximum of 25% loss.