A ProMED-mail post <http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the International Society for Infectious Diseases <http://www.isid.org>
Date: Thu 23 Jul 2020 3:00 PM KST
Source: DailyNK [abridged, edited]
<https://www.dailynk.com/english/cabbage-farm-supplying-pyongyang-suffers-pests-disease/>
A vegetable farm in Chongpyong County [South Hamgyong province] suffered from poor crop yields due to pests and disease. The farm produces cabbage and cucumber, but the cabbage began rotting from the roots and falling apart due to damage from an unidentified disease, along with pests. The farm was only able to meet 40% of its production target.
The farmers attempted to salvage the situation on their own, but were ultimately unable to do so. [They] requested that authorities find ways to resolve the problem, noting that even if the rotting cabbage was quickly harvested and delivered to Pyongyang, it would likely be completely rotten by the time it arrived.
The authorities quickly formed a team of "plant disease control experts" [which] discovered that instead of purple cabbage seeds, the farm had planted regular large cabbage seeds. This led to disease and pests appearing on the roots. The farm already knew that only the purple seeds were suitable for the soil, [but] were unable to acquire any of the right seeds last year [2019].
Farmers are reportedly in the process of fumigating their facilities and turning the rotten cabbage into compost.
[Byline: Kim Yoo Jin]
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Communicated by: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
[A range of pathogens affecting brassica crops (including cabbages, turnips, oilseed rape) have been reported in the region. Several of them can cause root rots similar to what is being described above (see previous ProMED-mail posts in the archives), either on their own or in coinfections.
Cultivars with different levels of disease resistance are available in some cases. The 'purple seeds' referred to above may be of a cabbage variety considered resistant or tolerant to the root rot pathogens prevalent in the area, with the 'regular large cabbage seeds' being more susceptible. However, cultivar resistance is also continuously challenged as new pathogen strains evolve.
In any case, reliable, preferably molecular diagnosis is vital to identify potential pathogens present and for effective management of the problems.
Maps
North Korea:
<https://www.nationsonline.org/maps/korea-north-political-map.jpg>,
<http://healthmap.org/promed/p/67088>, and <https://www.mapsofworld.com/north-korea/maps/north-korea-political-map.jpg>
(provinces)
Asia, overview:
<https://www.worldatlas.com/img/areamap/continent/asia_map.gif>
Pictures
Photo galleries of some cabbage diseases via:
<http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu/PhotoPages/PhotoGallery.htm>
and
<https://www.ipmimages.org/browse/Areathumb.cfm?area=91>
Links
Information on some cabbage diseases via:
<https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/broccoli/diseases-vegetable-brassicas?page=0%2C1>,
<http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu/cropindex.htm>,
<https://ausveg.com.au/biosecurity-agrichemical/crop-protection/brassicas/>,
and
<http://ahr.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/AHR_Brassica_Proof3.pdf>
List of major diseases and pathogens of brassicas via:
<https://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/resources/commonnames/Pages/Crucifers.aspx>
Taxonomy and species/subspecies list of _Brassica_:
<https://plants.usda.gov/java/ClassificationServlet?source=display&classid=BRASS2>
- Mod.DHA]
[See Also:
2019
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Blackleg, oilseed rape - UK: alert
http://promedmail.org/post/20191010.6718654
Clubroot, oilseed rape - Canada: (MB)
http://promedmail.org/post/20190916.6677882
2018
----
Blackleg & bacterial black rot, brassicas - USA: (WA)
http://promedmail.org/post/20181029.6119362
2017
----
Crop diseases - Philippines: (Cordilleras region) survey
http://promedmail.org/post/20170718.5185031
Bacterial black rot, cabbage - USA: (TX)
http://promedmail.org/post/20170509.5022523
Undiagnosed virus, cabbage - Ghana
http://promedmail.org/post/20170220.4850749
Light leaf spot, oilseed rape & vegetable brassicas - UK: alert
http://promedmail.org/post/20170213.4836896
2016
----
Vegetable viruses - Jamaica
http://promedmail.org/post/20160421.4173419
and additional items on diseases of brassicas in the archives]
Topics
Species
