Management of soilborne diseases of potato

Abstract

A large number of soilborne diseases that affect potato are important in the United States. In the Midwestern USA, early dying, involving Verticillium dahliae and Colletotrichum coccodes and the storage rots, pink rot and leak tuber rot, caused by Phytophthora erythroseptica and Pythium ultimum are among the most serious. Various aspects of the biology and aetiology of these pathogens have been investigated to improve our understanding of the factors involved in disease development. These studies have addressed knowledge gaps and have assisted in the development of management strategies and tactics for each disease. Disease management integrates cultural practices, use of agrochemicals and to some degree, host resistance. Unfortunately, cultural management practices alone are currently inadequate to control these diseases, causing the potato industry to become over-reliant on the use of agrochemicals for effective management. Current research efforts are directed at the identification and incorporation of genetic resistance into cultivars with acceptable horticultural characteristics to provide more effective disease management.