The Assessment of Economic Losses due to Late Blight of Potato1

The development of a method which reliably estimates the loss for any given level of disease is a prerequisite to the development of a rational disease control program. Such a method was developed between 1953-1970 using results from field experiments; it led to a multiple regression equation in which the yield loss is the dependent variable. The decrease in marketable tubers because of their reduced size was also considered. The method of estimating yield loss due to late blight is currently being used in conjunction with a disease simulator.