A ProMED-mail post
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International Society for Infectious Diseases <http://www.isid.org>
Date: 12 Dec 2008
Source: ZiBB, Asia Pulse
Data Source/COMTEX report [edited] <http://www.zibb.com/article/4558035/PAU+finds+fresh+attacks+of+late+blight+disease+on+potato+crop>
Punjab Agricultural University finds fresh attacks of late
blight disease on potato crop
Late blight disease continues to haunt potato growers of the
state as Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has found fresh
instances of its attack on the crop in some areas and warned the
farmers to control it before it acquires epidemic form.
"Incidence of late blight on potato has been noticed in certain
fields in Hoshiarpur and surrounding areas which came to light
after conducting a disease survey," said Dr HS Rewal, head of
Department of Plant Pathology, PAU.
Stating that the current weather conditions are conducive to the
development and spread of disease, he asked farmers to spray
recommended fungicide to protect their crop. "This disease is
weather dependent and develops very fast during high humidity,
and the present weather conditions are quite favourable for it,"
he said. He warned if the disease was left uncontrolled, it
could lead to serious losses. Late blight has been damaging the
late varieties of potato crops for the last 2 years in the state
and has severely damaged the crop.
Punjab has brought 75 000 hectares (185 329 acres) of land under
potato cultivation with total output of 1.6 million metric
tonnes.
Punjab mainly grows seed potato varieties, which are supplied to
various parts of the country.
--
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ProMED-mail
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[Potato late blight (PLB) is caused by the fungus-like organism
_Phytophthora infestans_ and can cause 100 percent crop loss. It
is spread by plant material (including seed tubers), wind, and
water. It also affects tomato, and solanaceous weeds can serve
as pathogen reservoirs. Fungi and bacteria often invade
blight-infected tubers resulting in total tuber breakdown.
Disease management includes preventative fungicide treatment of
seed tubers and additional fungicide applications to the crop.
For more information on PLB see links and previous posts below.
In India, infected seed potatoes are often a problem, and
therefore this outbreak in a state that grows mainly seed tubers
carries a particularly high risk of spreading the disease.
Cultivars with reduced PLB sensitivity are being developed in
the country.
Maps
India:
<http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/india/images/IndiaMap_tourism.gif>
and
<http://healthmap.org/promed/en?g=1259223&v=22.9,79.6,5>
Punjab districts:
<http://www.mapsofindia.com/maps/punjab/punjab-district.htm>
Pictures of PLB symptoms:
<http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/2007/01/070102132649.jpg>
(tuber) and
<http://www-biol.paisley.ac.uk/bioref/Chromista/potato_blight.jpg>
(leaves)
Links
Late blight fact sheets:
<http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/3000/3102.html>
and <http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu/factsheets/Potato_LateBlt.htm>
Disease history and background:
<http://www.apsnet.org/online/feature/lateblit/>
and <http://www.olympusmicro.com/micd/galleries/brightfield/potatoblight.html>
Late blight information and resources via:
<http://www.potato.org.uk/department/knowledge_transfer/fight_against_blight/advice_blight.html>
_P. infestans_ taxonomy:
<http://www.indexfungorum.org/Names/NamesRecord.asp?RecordID=232148>
Global Initiative on Late Blight:
<http://gilb.cip.cgiar.org/>
PAU Plant Pathology:
<http://pau.edu/agriculture/index.php?_act=manageDepartments&DO=viewDepartment&intLinkID=10>.
- Mod.DHA]
[see also
in the
archive:
2008
----
Late blight, potato - India, Canada alert 20080815.2534 Potato
diseases - India: (West Bengal) 20080206.0477
2007
----
Late blight, potato - India (02): (Punjab, W Bengal)
20071221.4099 Late blight, potato - India: (Punjab), alert
20071116.3715 Late blight, potato - India, UK 20070509.1491
2006
----
Late blight, potato - India (Kashmir) 20060424.1200]
