STRATEGIES TO CONTROL LATE BLIGHT IN POTATOES IN EUROPE

H.T.A.M. Schepers, A. Evenhuis, H.G. Spits
In Europe an aggressive genetically diverse population of potato late blight is present which regularly causes problems in all potato growing regions. It is therefore of the utmost importance that blight is managed in an integrated way by combining a range of measures. Hygiene measures can keep the number of primary sources of inoculum low. In a number of European countries campaigns are ongoing to increase the awareness of growers to reduce the risk of early inoculum sources such as dumps, volunteers and infected seed. The use of varieties with stable resistance for foliar and tuber blight is also a part of an integrated control strategy. In intermediate resistant varieties possibilities are investigated to reduce the input of fungicides. Fungicides still have a key role to play in the integrated control of late blight. In order to optimize the use of fungicides it is important to know the effectiveness and type of activity of the active ingredients to control blight. The use of fungicides should be targeted by using information on infection conditions based on weather data, disease pressure and fungicide characteristics. Decision Support Systems (DSS) can be used to integrate and organize all the available information required for decisions to control late blight.
Schepers, H.T.A.M., Evenhuis, A. and Spits, H.G. (2009). STRATEGIES TO CONTROL LATE BLIGHT IN POTATOES IN EUROPE. Acta Hortic. 834, 79-82
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2009.834.7
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2009.834.7
Phytophthora infestans, Solanum tuberosum L., integrated control, fungicides, Decision Support Systems
English

Acta Horticulturae