Formerly International Journal of Basic and Applied Agricultural Research

Potato Dry Rot: Pathogen, disease cycle, ecology and management

SANJAY KUMAR, PARVINDER SINGH SEKHON and AMANPREET SINGH
Pantnagar Journal of Research, Volume - 19, Issue - 1 ( January-April, 2021)

Published: 2021-05-01

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Abstract


Potato dry rot is an emerging disease in field as well as in cold storage and a major threat to global production of potato. The disease caused by different Fusarium species such as F. culmorum, F. sambucinum, F. oxysporum, F. solani and F. avenaceum etc. It causes 25-60% loss in yield in the field as well as in cold storage. Fusarium survives on infected host debris in the soil in the form of chlamydospores as saprophytes. Fusarium spp. cannot enter the tubers through lenticels or in the absence of injury. The infection is possible only when the potato skin is cracked. Dry rot develops in high humidity (>80%) and temperature of 15 to 20degreeC after one month of storage is most favorable conditions however, it can also develops even at low temperatures. An integrated disease management (IDM) program provides the appropriate harvesting conditions to prevent tuber injury and appropriate storage conditions. Disease free seed tuber and registered synthetic fungicides and post-harvest treatments are recommended for effective dry rot control. Recently, several organic and inorganic salts are generally recognized as safe (GRAS) and biological agents alternative to synthetic fungicides which could eventually be integrated into dry rot management strategies.


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