Effects of watering potato plants before harvest and of curing conditions on development of tuber diseases during storage

Summary Plots of potato plants were watered to field capacity one day before harvest on three dates, and tubers from watered and non-watered plots were stored at 7°C and 95% RH immediately or after curing at 15°C either at 80% or 95% RH. Watering increased the severity of silver scurf after storage when tubers were not cured. Curing at 80% RH decreased the disease and amounts were similar from watered and non-watered plants. Black dot was increased by watering whereas black scurf and golding blotch were decreased.     

Fungicide treatment of seed tubers infected with thiabendazole-resistantHelminthosporium solani andPolyscytalum pustulans for controlling silver scurf and skin spot on stored progeny tubers

Summary Seed tubers, cv. Désirée, derived from stocks treated annually with thiabendazole were infected with thiabendazole-resistant strains ofHelminthosporium solani andPolyscytalum pustulans. Samples of seed tubers were either untreated or immersed for 5 min in fungicide suspensions of thiabendazole, imazalil or thiabendazole plus imazalil and planted on four farms in 1988 and 1989. After harvest, tuber samples from each treatment were treated with thiabendazole and stored for 6 months. Applying imazalil or thiabendazole plus imazalil to seed tubers decreased the severity of silver scurf and skin spot on stored progeny tubers. Thiabendazole applied to seed tubers or to progeny tubers after harvest did not affect the severity of either disease, but post-harvest treatment decreased the incidence of black scurf after storage.     

几种杀菌剂对马铃薯黑痣病的防效

马铃薯黑痣病（Rhizoctonia solani K＆#252;hn）在内蒙古发生普遍而又严重。2013年通过田间小区方法进行了4种杀菌剂防治试验。结果表明：24%满穗悬浮剂90 mL/667 m2、50%BAS70301F悬浮剂33.3 mL/667 m2、30%BAS7004F悬浮剂40 mL/667 m2和25%阿米西达悬浮剂60 mL/667 m2处理,防效分别为93.0%、90.4%、89.3%和86.6%,增产分别为17.5%、15.3%、13.1%和11.9%,均具有优良的防治效果。     

Effect of a combination of chlorine dioxide and thiophanate-methyl pre-planting seed tuber treatment on the control of black scurf of potatoes

The pre-planting seed tuber treatments of chlorine dioxide (ClO₂), thiophanate-methyl (TPM), and a combination treatment of ClO₂, followed by TPM, were evaluated for control of stem canker and black scurf (Rhizoctonia solani), and storage rots; black scurf, common scab (Streptomyces scabies), dry rot (Fusarium spp.) and silver scurf (Helminthosporium solani) on potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cv. Kennebec. Field experiments were conducted in two consecutive years, 1999 and 2000, at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Research Farm in Harrington, Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada. The combination treatment of ClO₂ (200 μg g⁻¹) and TPM (50 g active ingredient100 kg⁻¹ of tubers) significantly (P=0.05) reduced stem canker and black scurf on progeny tubers at harvest and after storage. The low incidence of scab and dry rot in untreated controls hindered the evaluation of the efficacy of the combination treatment and also showed that conditions were not favourable for disease development during this period at Harrington. The combination treatment was not effective on silver scurf in storage. A comparison among control, ClO₂, TPM, and the combination treatment indicates that pre-planting ClO₂ treatment may have killed the majority of the black scurf sclerotia on the tuber surface and that the combination of TPM fungicide treatment following ClO₂ treatment gave protection to progeny tuber by suppressing the growth of the R. solani. A higher marketable yield was observed in the combination treatment as compared with the untreated control. Phytotoxicity was not observed in tubers treated with the combination treatment.     

河北省一季作区马铃薯病虫害发生及综合防控

河北省一季作区马铃薯主要病虫害有晚疫病、早疫病、黑痣病和二十八星瓢虫,此外,病毒引起的品种退化比较普遍,造成不同程度的损失。本文根据河北省一季作区马铃薯病虫害发生特点总结出一套综合防控技术体系,包括将马铃薯与玉米、大白菜等非茄科作物轮作3年减轻黑痣病危害;采用脱毒薯克服病毒引起的品种退化问题;种薯和(或)土壤消毒控制黑痣病和晚疫病;待马铃薯生长至封垄后,遇到适宜晚疫病发生的天气,喷施1～3次保护性杀菌剂预防晚疫病和早疫病;一旦监测到晚疫病中心病株后即拔除并装入塑料袋带出田外,并交替喷施有治疗效果、能兼治早疫病且作用机制不同的内吸性杀菌剂及混剂;田间出现马铃薯二十八星瓢虫成虫,在杀菌剂中混入高效氯氰菊酯或高效氯氟氰菊酯等高效杀虫剂防虫;马铃薯成熟前1～2周将地上部分割掉并运出田外后收获块茎。     

Effect of infection byRhizoctonia solani on the quality of tubers for processing

The effect ofRhizoctonia solani infection on the yield and quality of tubers destined for processing was evaluated in a 10 × 2 factorial experiment. Inoculation of 10 cultivars withR. solani significantly decreased total and marketable yields and significantly increased the number of malformed and fissured tubers as well as the number of tubers with black scurf. Specific gravity was significantly decreased in 3 of the 4 years. Chip color at harvest was adversely affected in 2 of the 4 years and over the 4 years combined; whereas chip color three months after harvest was adversely affected in all 4 years.     

Relationships between disease levels on seed tubers,on crops during growth and in stored potatoes. 5. Seed stocks grown at Rothamsted

Summary Disease or inoculum records made at different stages of growth on 100 commercial King Edward crops in 1971–75, and already reported, were augmented by growing 85 of the seed stocks in field experiments at Rothamsted and assessing disease or inoculum incidence during growth (1971, 1975), at harvest (1972–75) and after storage (1974–75). Incidence of black scurf, silver scurf and skin spot was usually greater at Rothamsted than on the different farms, probably because of later sampling dates. Disease incidence on seed tubers was often positively related to amounts of inoculum on harvested tubers or disease symptoms in store for black scurf, skin spot and gangrene, showing that seed tubers were an important inoculum source. With silver scurf the relationship was negative. Relationships between assessments made at different times were more consistent for all four diseases on crops at Rothamsted than on crops grown on different farms but they were not invariably significant.

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Zusammenfassung In den Jahren 1971–1975 wurden 100 Proben von Marktware der Sorte King Edward, die im Fenland gewachsen waren, in verschiedenen Entwicklungsstadien auf den Krankheitsbefall oder Inokulumbesatz mit Pockenkrankheit, Tüpfelfleckenkrankheit, Silberschorf und Phomaf?ule untersucht (Adams et al., 1980a, 1980b; Hide & Adams, 1980a, 1980b). 85 dieser Pflanzgutproben wurden in Feldversuchen in Wiederholung in Rothamsted vermehrt und der Krankheits- oder Inokulumbesatz w?hrend des Wachstums (1971, 1975), bei der Ernte (1972–75) und nach der Lagerung bei 3°C (1974–75) untersucht (Tabelle 1). Tabelle 2 zeigt, dass der durchschnittliche Befall mit der Pockenkrankheit st?rker war als wenn die Kartoffeln im Fenland gewachsen und die gelagerten Kartoffeln 1975 stark mit Pocken besetzt waren. Der durchsnittliche Befall mit der Tüpfelfleckenkrankheit (Tabelle 4) zeigte, dass die Krankheit in Rothamsted verbreiteter war als 1974 und 1975 im Fenland, als fast alle gelagerten Knollen infiziert waren. Der durchschnittliche Befall mit Silberschorf (Tabelle 5) war im allgemeinen h?her als im Fenland und die Mehrheit der gelagerten Knollen war 1974 und 1975 stark infiziert (>10% der Oberfl?che war befallen). Die durchschnittlichen Werte für die Phomaf?ule (Tabelle 6) waren im allgemeinen w?hrend des Wachstums und zur Ernte niedrig, 1974 waren der Inokulumbesatz zur Erntezeit und der Krankheitsbefall im Lager mittel. Unterschiede im Krankheitsausmass zwischen Rothamsted und im Fenland ergaben sich vielleicht, weil in Rothamsted die Probennahme sp?ter, die Zeit zwischen Krautabt?tung und Ernte l?nger (was besonders die Phomaf?ule 1974 beeinflusste) und die Bodenbedingungen kühler und nasser waren (was besonders die Pockenkrankheit beeinflusste). Die Signifikanz der Regressionen zwischen den zu verschiedenen Zeiten gemachten Feststellungen des Krankheitsbefalls oder Inokulumbesatzes zeigte, dass für die Pockenkrankheit (Tabelle 3), die Tüpfelfleckenkrankheit (Tabelle 3) und für die Phomaf?ule (Tabelle 7) der Gehalt an Inokulum auf den Pflanzkartoffeln oft in signifikanter Beziehung zu den Bonituren w?hrend des Wachstums und im Lager stand, was die Bedeutung des knollenbürtigen Inokulums unterstreicht. Die signifikanten Regressionen für Silberschorf (Tabelle 3) zwischen dem Inokulumgehalt von Pflanzkartoffeln und geernteten Kartoffeln oder dem Krankheitsbefall nach der Lagerung hatten negative Koeffizienten (Abb. 1 und 2). Das deutet daraufhin, dass Pflanzkartoffeln, die viel Inokulum vor dem Pflanzen produzieren, dies weniger tun zum Zeitpunkt der Bildung von Tochterknollen. Im allgemeinen waren die Beziehungen zwischen den Feststellungen des Krankheitsbefalls oder Inokulumgehaltes, die zu verschiedenen Zeiten gemacht wurden, besser, wenn die Kartoffeln in Rothamsted aufwuchsen als wenn sie getrennt davon im Fenland standen. Dies zeigt die Bedeutung des ?rtlichen Inokulumbesatzes oder den Einfluss der Umgebung des Feldes. Die Beziehungen waren jedoch sogar in Rothamsted nicht immer signifikant, was auf die Notwendigkeit besserer Kenntnisse über die optimale Probengr?sse und über Testverfahren hinweist.

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Résumé L'enregistrement des informations concernant la maladie ou le taux d'inoculum pour le rhizoctone, l'oosporiose, la gale argentée et la gangrène, réalisé à différents stades de croissance sur 100 lots commerciaux de King Edward plantés dans le Fenland en 1971–75 (Adams et al., 1980a, 1980b; Hide & Adams, 1980a, 1980b) a été augmenté par culture de 85 lots de semence dans des champs d'expérience à Rothamsted et par estimation de l'incidence de la maladie ou de l'inoculum en cours de croissance (1971, 1975) à la récolte (1972–75) et après conservation à 3°C (1974–75) (tableau 1). Les valeurs moyennes relatives aux évaluations du rhizoctone (tableau 2) ont été plus élevées pour les cultures du Fenland et la maladie a été prédominante sur les lots conservés en 1975. Les valeurs moyennes concernant les estimations de l'oosporiose (tableau 4) ont montré que la maladie a été plus étendue à Rothamsted que dans le Fenland en 1974 et 1975 quand presque tous les tubercules conservés ont été contaminés. Les valeurs moyennes concernant les estimations de gale argentée (tableau 5) ont été d'une manière générale plus élevées que dans le Fenland et la majorité des tubercules stockés en 1974 et 1975 ont été fortement contaminés (plus de 10% de la surface affectée). Les valeurs moyennes des estimations relatives à la gangrène (tableau 6) ont été habituellement faibles pendant la croissance et à la récolte, mais en 1974 les taux d'inoculum à la récolte et l'incidence de la maladie en cours de conservation ont été modérés. Les différences observées entre les taux de maladie à Rothamsted et dans le Fenland ont été probablement dues au fait qu'à Rothamsted les prises d'échantillons se sont faites plus tardivement. Dans ce cas, les intervalles entre le défanage et la récolte ont été plus longs (ce qui a particulièrement affecté la gangrène en 1974) et les conditions de sol ont été plus fra?ches et plus humides (ce qui affecte spécialement le rhizoctone). La signification des régressions entre la maladie ou l'inoculum établies à différentes périodes a montré que pour le rhizoctone (tableau 3), l'oosporiose (tableau 3), et la gangrène (tableau 7) les taux d'inoculum sur les tubercules de semence ont souvent été en relation, et de manière significative, avec les estimations faites en cours de croissance et en conservation. Cela montre l'importance de l'inoculum sur le tubercule de semence. Pour la gale argentée (tableau 3) des régressions significatives entre les taux d'inoculum sur tubercules-mères, sur tubercules-fils et l'incidence de la maladie après conservation ont eu des coefficients négatifs (figures 1 et 2). Les auteurs suggèrent que les tubercules de semence produisant plus d'inoculum avant la plantation en produisent moins en cours de tubérisation. Généralement, les relations existant ente les estimations de maladie ou d'inoculum établies à différentes périodes ont été meilleures pour les lots plantés ensemble à Rothamsted que pour ceux plantés séparément dans le Fenland. Cela démontre l'importance des sources locales d'inoculum ou l'effet de l'environnement local au niveau des exploitations agricoles. Toutefois, même à Rothamsted, les relations n'ont pas été invariablement significatives, et cela indique la nécessité d'une meilleure connaissance des tailles optimales d'échantillons et des procédures relatives aux tests.

     

Field study of the relative susceptibility of eleven potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) varieties and the efficacy of two fungicides against Rhizoctonia solani attack

Rhizoctonia black scurf is an economically important disease of potatoes in Tunisia and around the world. It reduces the quality and yield of potatoes and has become an important impediment for export of potatoes, especially to Europe. The information on comparative susceptibility of potato cultivars will help the growers make informed decisions regarding the management of this disease. The eleven potato cultivars used in this study showed a range of susceptibility reactions to Rhizoctonia solani but none of these was completely resistant to the disease. The Spunta variety showed the least percentage of infection of progeny tubers by R. solani sclerotia at harvest, while the varieties Nicola, Santana, Labadia, Liseta and Tango showed a high percentage of infection of progeny tubers. Seed treatment using fungicides, presently registered in Tunisia, are not effective in controlling the disease to growers’ satisfaction. Field experiments conducted to evaluate the efficacy of two newly introduced fungicides pencycuron (Monceren^®) and azoxystrobin (Amistar^®) showed that they were effective for the control of the disease. Seed potatoes treatment and in-furrow application of azoxystrobin consistently provided superior protection in two years of experimentation.     

Effects of wounding fungicide-treated potato seed tubers on silver scurf disease on daughter tubers at harvest

Summary Silver scurf on daughter tubers at harvest was decreased by treating seed tubers with imazalil or thiabendazole in March but significantly increased when the treated tubers were wounded the day before planting in May. The disease was also increased by wounding seed tubers not treated with fungicide. Black dot was decreased by seed treatment with imazalil but was not affected by wounding.     

Management of silver scurf (Helminthosporium solani) with fungicide seed treatments and storage practices

Thiabendazole insensitive strains ofHelminthosporium solani, the causal agent of silver scurf, make controlling the disease with seed treatment difficult. Potato tuber seed treatments and environmental storage management practices were investigated as means to minimize silver scurf. Fungicide seed treatments were evaluated for control ofH. solani; disease was evaluated during the growing season, at harvest, and after 5 months of storage. Silver scurf was observed on progeny tubers eleven weeks after planting. Fungicides that reduced silver scurf incidence and severity on the seed resulted in reduced incidence and severity of the disease in the progeny tubers at harvest and significantly lower disease ratings after storage. Only small increases in disease incidence (0-8%) were seen after storage. Thiophanate-methyl with mancozeb, Captan with mancozeb, and fludioxonil were among the most effective in reducing the incidence and severity of silver scurf on seed and in progeny tubers (Incidence on progeny tubers at harvest for these three treatments were 3%, 9%, and 8% respectively). Thiophanatemethyl alone was not effective for control of silver scurf (48% incidence compared to 43% incidence for the untreated control). Environmental conditions in storage affected disease development. Reduced humidity (85%) during the curing period (0–3 weeks after harvest) significantly reduced (11%) the surface area of tubers infected with silver scurf. Free moisture on the tuber surfaces during storage significantly increased (15%) tuber surface area infection.H. solani was shown to survive in soil and on some potato storage building materials for up to 9 months. The silver scurf disease of potatoes can be suppressed using effective seed treatment and storage management.     

云南省马铃薯银腐病(Helminthosporiumsolani)的研究

20 0 1年我们从云南省薯产区市场上和仓库内采集到马铃薯银腐病标本 ,研究表明 ,该病冬季发病率达 33. 3%。受感染部位多分布于薯块的茎基端 ,重病薯块因失水过多 ,块茎皱缩。病菌生长后期变为棕色。分生孢子梗无分枝 ,大小为 15 0～ 5 5 0× 7 0～ 10 0 μm (平均 35 0× 8 5 μm ) ,1～ 6根成簇着生于球形基部。分生孢子棕色 ,单个或成簇地自分生孢子梗基端往上呈轮状排列 ,直或稍弯 ,顶端小 ,略呈锥形 ,有 3～ 8个横隔 ,大小为 2 0～ 80 μm× 7 5～ 10 μm (平均 5 0× 8 5 μm )。根据该病病原真菌的形态学和培养性状 ,鉴定为茄长蠕孢 (Helminthosporiumsolani)。黑暗和光照下培养 ,分生孢的萌发率无明显差异。通过人工接种于薯块表面 ,表现出较强的致病性 ,马铃薯银腐病在中国属首次报道     

Evaluating Incidence of Helminthosporium solani and Colletotrichum coccodes on Asymptomatic Organic Potatoes and Screening Potato Lines for Resistance to Silver Scurf

Silver scurf, caused by Helminthosporium solani, and black dot, caused by Colletotrichum coccodes, cause tuber blemishes on potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) which affect processing and fresh market trade. Tubers from ten cultivars were collected at harvest from three organic farms in Wisconsin and categorized as symptomatic or asymptomatic based on visual symptoms of silver scurf and black dot and/or signs of H. solani and C. coccodes. Tuber incubation and PCR assays were performed on asymptomatic tubers to detect H. solani and C. coccodes. Tuber incubation and PCR assays were in slight to fair agreement (kappa coefficient <0.4) for detecting both pathogens. Most asymptomatic tubers tested were positive by one or both assays for H. solani (75 %) or C. coccodes (94 %). Minituber inoculation assays were also performed to screen potato lines for resistance to silver scurf. Of the 14 lines tested, a diploid interspecific hybrid, C287, had consistently low sporulation, suggesting it has partial resistance to silver scurf. Since the majority of tubers harvested are already infected with one or both pathogens further research should focus on organically acceptable management practices that may inhibit disease development in field and in storage.     

The effect of tuber-borne sclerotia ofRhizoctonia solani Kühn on the potato crop

Black scurf on seed tubers did not result in seed decay or stem cankers and did not affect the tuber yield in two field experiments at Ottawa and Fredericton. Seed pieces were classified into three disease categories: 0 to 1%, 1.1 to 5%, 5.1 to 15%, according to the percentage surface area covered by sclerotia ofRhizoctonia solani. The difference between disease categories, in the amount of black scurf on the seed, was perpetuated on the progeny tubers although the actual amount decreased.     

Drycore Appears to Result from an Interaction between Rhizoctonia solani and Wireworm (Agriotes ssp.)—Evidence from a 3-Year Field Survey

Drycore is an important quality deficiency in Europe especially in organic potato production and after grass clover leys. The drycore symptom is attributed to Rhizoctonia solani Kühn (teleomorph: Thanatephorus cucumeris (Frank) Donk). In the framework of a 3-year survey (2001–2003), data concerning potato quality, crop rotation, management, and site parameters were analysed from 185 potato fields. The hypothesis was tested that injuries on potatoes caused by wireworms facilitate the penetration of R. solani and favour the formation of drycore. Analysis of variance showed a significant influence of wireworm damage, seed quality, and grass clover leys in the crop on the level of drycore damage. On fields which had both a low occurrence of black scurf on the seed tubers and a low occurrence of wireworm damage at harvest, significant drycore damage was never observed. The relative risk for drycore damage on tubers was significantly higher if black scurf or wireworm damage was on the same tuber. In contrast, no higher risk for drycore was observed on tubers with slug damage. Abiotic factors like farm manure application, organic matter content, texture, and pH of the soil also had no significant influence on the level of drycore. Thus, the wounding of potatoes by wireworm could be confirmed as the major variable for drycore. The mode of action has to be clarified under controlled conditions.     

Effects of spraying mefluidide onto potato foliage

Summary Spraying the growth regulator mefluidide onto potato foliage at 500 or 1000 g/ha on two dates in July after tubers had been initiated did not affect the number, size and yield of tubers or the extent of injuries after mechanical harvesting. The skin of some tubers from sprayed plants was brown and this was more common from plants sprayed on 15 July than on those sprayed two weeks earlier. Spraying at 1000 g/ha decreased the severity of black scurf but increased gangrene.     

Soil survival and thiabendazole sensitivity ofHelminthosporium solani isolates from Alberta,Canada

Summary Survival of the pathogen causing silver scurf of potato (Helminthosporium solani) in Alberta soils was studied by evaluatingH. solani infection in the progeny ofH. solani-free nuclear seed potato tubers planted in fields where potatoes had never been grown or were grown 1, 2, 3, or 4 years previously. Daughter tubers from all the fields developed silver scurf lesions, andH. solani was isolated from infected tubers. This is the first report of survival ofH. solani in Alberta soils. Soil-borne inoculum appears to have a role in the epidemiology of the disease and in the introduction of the pathogen into silver scurf-free potato seed stock. Of 31 plant species tested, only potato was found to be a host ofH. solani. Most of theH. solani isolates from north central Alberta were more sensitive to thiabendazole than those from southern Alberta, where thiabendazole is much more commonly used.     

Occurrence of Skin Blemish Diseases (Scab and Scurf) in Norwegian Potato Production

A survey of the prevalence of skin blemish diseases in potatoes after the growing seasons of 2008 and 2009 was carried out on 247 potato lots representing different cultivars and production regions in Norway. The results showed the presence of silver scurf (Helminthosporium solani) in all lots. Skin spot (Polyscytalum pustulans) and black scurf (Rhizoctonia solani) were found in 80% of the lots, and black dot (Colletotrichum coccodes) and common scab caused by Streptomyces spp. were present in 50–70%. Also, powdery scab (Spongospora subterranea) occurred in 65–80% of the lots, and root-lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus spp.) were detected in 60% of the sub-samples that exhibited symptoms of common scab.     

氯化钙处理对菠萝黑腐病的防控效果及机制分析

为了降低采后菠萝果实由黑腐病引起的腐烂损失,本文研究了氯化钙处理对黑腐病的防控效果及相关机制。结果表明,1%氯化钙处理对菠萝黑腐病有最好的抑制作用和防治效果。1%氯化钙处理对病菌菌丝生长影响不大,但可明显抑制病原菌的产孢;氯化钙处理明显降低发病果实中多聚半乳糖醛酸甲酯酶（PMG）、纤维素酶（CX）和β-葡萄糖苷酶（CB）的活性,但对多聚半乳糖醛酸酶（PG）活性变化没有明显影响;氯化钙处理明显提高贮藏中后期菠萝果实中过氧化氢（H₂O₂）的含量,明显提高抗病相关酶苯丙氨酸解氨酶（PAL）、多酚氧化酶（PPO）、几丁质酶（CHI）和β-1,3-葡聚糖酶（GLU）的活性。说明氯化钙处理对黑腐病有较好的防控效果,一方面是由于其降低了病原菌的致病性,另一方面是诱导菠萝果实提高了抗病性。因此,适宜浓度的氯化钙处理为菠萝采后黑腐病的绿色防控提供了一条新的途径。     

Effects of soil disinfection and potato harvesting methods on stem infection byRhizoctonia solani Kühn in the following year

Summary A two year field experiment was conducted twice to assess effects of chemical soil disinfection at planting and methods of harvesting potatoes on stem infection withRhizoctonia solani in the subsequent year. In the first year of the experiments seven methods. including one with soil disinfection at planting, were applied in August. In the following year,R. solani stem and stolon infection (disease severity) on potato plants were assessed in June. Soil treatment at planting with pencycuron resulted in lowest disease severity in the following year. Compared with chemical haulm killing and haulm pulling. immature-crop-harvesting also resulted in a lower disease severity, but only when black scurf was scarce on tubers at harvest in the preceding year.     

Seed Potato Performance after Storage in Light at Elevated Temperatures

In regions with short growth seasons, it is of great importance to use potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) seed tubers with a high growth vigour and a short growth cycle. Such qualities may be obtained by treatments advancing the physiological age of the seed tubers. In this study, we have exposed tubers from four cultivars to various combinations of temperature and light conditions (green-sprouting) for 3–7 months in controlled climate. Subsequent sprout quality, seed tuber health and performance were studied in laboratory, greenhouse and field trials. Satisfactory short, sturdy and leafy sprouts were produced even after 7 months storage at 15 °C under light exposure. An assay of black scurf (Rhizoctonia solani) on the tuber skin showed that light exposure significantly reduced the occurrence compared with dark-stored tubers, while the average effect of storage temperatures was insignificant. In general, green-sprouting advanced emergence and plant growth by 1–2 weeks, and showed early tuber initiation and growth, compared to untreated material. Yields, 107 days after planting in the field trial, did not deviate significantly from untreated tubers. However, plant development at harvest was in accordance with general responses to physiological ageing of potato seed tubers, i.e. still tall and immature plants from untreated tubers, and short and mature plants from aged tubers. Results demonstrated the possibility of successful long-term storage of potato seed tubers in light at elevated temperatures and a potential for earlier harvests and higher early yields from such treatments.