Research reports on blackleg and soft rot in potatoes

Surveys of the bacteria causing blackleg in potatoes

samples of blackleg-infected plants, seen during seed classification inspections of potato crops in England and Wales, were tested to identify the bacteria causing the symptoms

At the time there was increasing concern about the risks to potato production in GB posed by Dickeya solani. The project included:

comparison of the amount of disease caused by D. solani at different temperatures
assessment of the factors involved in the persistence and/or spread of D. solani in the field
evaluation of the effects of disinfectants on the survival of D. solani

molecular methods were used to assess the distribution of Dickeya dianthicola and other Dickeya species
tested tubers, samples from watercourses and river weeds for Dickeya species
assessed whether the diagnostic methods available at the time were suitable for the detection, identification and enumeration of Dickeya species

intensive monitoring of Pre-Basic crops over several years
experimental trials to monitor the spread of Pba from infected plots
monitoring systemic infection on different cultivars in greenhouse trials
modelling studies using Scottish seed crops data to investigate whether blackleg is a random event, or shows patterns / geographical clusters
field trials to compare the effectiveness of sulphuric acid with the haulm desiccation programmes that were possible at the time

mining large datasets to identify patterns, and causal factors, in the occurrence of blackleg in seed crops in Scotland

review of how storage conditions affect the numbers of bacteria on tubers
testing mini-tubers for Pba
pot trials to understand the relative importance of soil vs aerial routes of contamination of seed crops
studying seed crops grown in isolation (on Orkney)
monitoring Pre-Basic stocks for Pba during storage, handling and transport
the toxicity of salt to Pectobacterium species in lab conditions

effect of transit and post-export conditions on disease development including soft rot

replicated field trials and large scale field comparisons of the effect of haulm destruction method on the contamination of progeny tubers by Pba
measurements of pit rot incidence and severity
measurements of Phoma species stem disease incidence and gangrene

field trial to compare haulm pulverisation vs haulm desiccation with diquat on tuber contamination with Pba
testing for the presence of Pba in weeds in and around two fields with high levels of blackleg

efficacy of pre-symptomatic detection and monitoring of soft rot using gas analysis

feasibility of using antibody or DNA-based techniques in packhouses to rapidly quantify the numbers of soft rotting bacteria on tubers at intake and/or after washing
risk rotting categories (numbers of bacteria/tuber) developed

sampling tubers from boxes in store
high throughput detection, quantification and identification of Pectobacterium and Dickeya populations on potato tuber stocks
relationship between Pba levels on seed and on progeny tubers

interpreting diagnostic results for the selection and management of seed stocks
effect of irrigation and level of bacterial seed tuber contamination on blackleg levels
effect of seed tuber bacterial contamination on crop growth, emergence, ground cover, physiological aging, yield and tuber number
effect of roguing on development of blackleg and contamination of daughter tubers
storage conditions and bacterial tuber contamination

Topics:

Potatoes

Sectors:

Potatoes

Tags:

potatoes blackleg Bacterial diseases soft rot Disease management