Effects of Mulch and Potato Hilling on Development of Foliar Blight (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Phytophthora infestans</Emphasis>) and the Control of Tuber Blight Infection

Foliar and tuber blight caused by Phytophthora infestans accounts for significant losses in potatoes in field and storage. Nevertheless, limited research has been published on the effects of cultural practices on late blight control. Field experiments were conducted in two years on Howard gravely loam soil in New York State to evaluate the effectiveness of mulching using oat straw and hilling in preventing tuber blight infection for cvs Allegany and Katahdin. Potato hilling and mulching had little effect on foliar blight development. The cultivar affected the disease development in the foliage, with cv. Allegany showing lower foliar late blight than cv. Katahdin. Tuber blight incidence averaged 25% for cv. Allegany and 3% for cv. Katahdin in hilled plots, while in the mulched plots the incidence of tuber blight averaged 33% for cv. Allegany and 10% for cv. Katahdin. The straw hay mulch was ineffective in tuber blight control. Tubers set at a soil depth of more than 7 cm had lower tuber blight incidence than shallow tubers set at a depth of less than 7 cm. In both years, hilling provided partial protection of tubers but its effectiveness was limited in the presence of favourable conditions for late blight development. Even though large hills had proportionally a lower tuber blight incidence than medium-sized hills, the difference between the different hill sizes was not significant. These studies suggest that the use of cultivars with foliage resistance to late blight in combination with cultural practices may partially reduce the incidence of tuber blight. Mention of trade names or commercial products in this publication is solely for the purpose of providing specific information and does not imply recommendation for endorsement by Cornell University or the US Department of Agriculture.     

Cropping Systems and Integrated Pest Management: Examples from Selected Crops

SUMMARY

Cropping systems have been central to managing associated pests for centuries. This treatment focuses on the history, concepts, and the integration of available Integrated Pest Management (IPM) tools/strategies into cropping systems. Pest assessments/diagnoses, IPM-decision-making aids, and examples of pest management in selected crops/cropping systems (wheat, soybean, corn, cotton, potato, and strawberry) as well as emerging opportunities and challenges are discussed. The evolving philosophy of IPM and the recently renewed emphasis on ecologically based pest management address the fact that significant levels of predation and/or parasitism are desirable insofar as they promote diversity and sustainability of agroecosystems. Thus, cropping systems are beginning to focus on soil and crop health as well as specific IPM and production goals. Although extensive efforts have been directed toward modeling the many interactions between crops, associated pests and the environment, the general implementation of a systems approach to integrated crop and pest management remains to be accomplished.     

Use of Biocontrol Organisms and Compost Amendments for Improved Control of Soilborne Diseases and Increased Potato Production

Soilborne potato diseases are persistent problems in potato production and alternative management practices are needed. In this research, biocontrol agents (Bacillus subtilis GB03 and Rhizoctonia solani hypovirulent isolate Rhs1A1) and compost amendments (from different source material), were evaluated alone and in combination, for their potential to reduce soilborne diseases and increase tuber yield over three field seasons in Maine. Both biocontrol organisms reduced multiple soilborne diseases, stem and stolon canker by 20–38 %, black scurf by 30–58 %, and common scab by 10–34 % relative to the nontreated control treatment, and the combination treatment of both biocontrol organisms together provided nominally better control than individual treatments. However, biocontrol treatments had no direct effect on tuber yield. Compost amendments from different sources all increased total and marketable tuber yield substantially (11–37 % and 17–51 %, respectively) relative to nontreated controls. However, except for some reduction of Rhizoctonia canker, compost amendments did not reduce soilborne diseases (black scurf and commons scab) in any year, and resulted in increased levels of common scab in some years (20–45 % increase). The combination compost-biocontrol treatment, although did not perform significantly better than individual component treatments, still provided indications of combined beneficial effects from both component treatments. This research demonstrated the usefulness of these approaches and combinations as additional options for reduction of soilborne diseases and increased tuber yield and can be implemented for enhanced sustainability and productivity in potato production systems.     

Validation of tuber blight (Phytophthora infestans) prediction model

Potato tuber blight caused by Phytophthora infestans accounts for significant losses of tubers in storage. Despite research on infection and management of tuber blight, there is paucity of information on the prediction of the occurrence tuber blight or modelling of tuber infection by P. infestans under field conditions. A tuber blight prediction model was developed in New York in experiments conducted using cultivars Allegany, NY101, and Katahdin in 1998 and 1999. This model was validated using data collected from the potato cultivar Snowden in field experiments in Laingsburg, Michigan from 2000 to 2009. In both New York and Michigan experiments, disease was initiated by artificial inoculation of cultivars with a US-8 isolate of P. infestans. Mean leaf area affected ranged from 0 to 94% at New York, and 0 to 93% at Michigan. At New York and Michigan, mean tuber blight incidences ranged from 1 to 40% and 0 to 15%, respectively. In the validation of the model using data collected at Laingsburg, Michigan, the model correctly predicted tuber blight incidence in 7 out of 9 years. Comparison of observed with predicted values indicated that slopes of the regression line between observed and predicted germination and infection data were not significantly different (P > 0.3547). Correlation coefficient between observed and predicted values was high (r² > 0.65) and the coefficient of variation of the residuals of error was about 12%. Although inoculum availability is assumed in the model, incorporation of relationships of inoculum density, propagule survival in soil, and tuber blight incidence would greatly improve the prediction of tuber blight under field conditions.     

Grower perceptions of biotic and abiotic risks of potato production in South Africa

Growers' surveys took place in all sixteen potato growing regions of South Africa in 2013 and 2014. The agro-ecological climate of these regions is diverse and potato is produced in rainy or dry seasons, in winter or summer seasons, or year round. Growers were asked how often in ten years crops suffered more than 25% yield losses due to extreme weather events related to precipitation events such as hail, floods and droughts, and to temperature-related events such as frost and heat waves. Simultaneously they were asked their opinion about occurrence and severity of diseases caused by potato viruses, fungi and bacteria and pests such as nematodes, tuber moths, aphids and leaf miners. Weather related hazards resulted in losses over 25% virtually each year in the Gauteng growing region due to hail, frosts and floods; losses occurred less than once every five years, for example due to extremely high temperatures, in the Sandveld area where growers take a risk by producing potatoes in hot summers. Regarding the biotic factors, every pest or pathogen assessed was reported to occur on at least one farm in each growing region. Countrywide the lowest frequency of 50% was recorded for powdery scab whereas the insects tuber moths, leaf miners and aphids were reported most frequently, by between 88% and 98% of the growers. The complex of silver scurf and black dot resulted in the greatest yield losses in all growing regions, followed closely by tuber moth, early blight and the blackleg/soft rot disease complex. Yield losses due to potato virus Y, potato leaf roll virus and aphids were not reported as being very severe. When the growers' perceptions of severity of biotic factors were accumulated, significant differences between the regions appeared, with the Eastern Cape most prone with an accumulated score of 700 due to an array of pests and diseases, and the North–West with a score of only 50 mainly attributed to root knot nematodes. Growers were also asked how frequently biocides were applied to potato to control soil-borne organisms (nematicide and seed treatment), foliar fungi or insects. There were no significant correlations between frequency of biocide applications and severity of the disease as reflected in yield losses, most likely because growers use biocide applications as insurance against pests and diseases. This is common among crop farmers around the world. Although potato production in South Africa appears to carry more risks than production elsewhere, South African commercial potato growers are economically competitive when compared to growers in other areas of the globe, with comparable planting conditions and risks.     

Research and Extension Supporting Ecologically Based IPM Systems

Summary

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) has a long history of developing pest management strategies based on ecological principles. While IPM systems differ in their reliance on chemical controls, an ecological approach to IPM offers opportunities both to test ecological theory and to develop novel pest management techniques. We review ecological concepts relevant to habitat management as a tool for managing pest and natural enemy populations in annual cropping systems, and we describe a case study of the impacts of habitat management on predatory ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in annual cropping systems. Experimental manipulation of carabid population density revealed a positive relationship between the abundance of carabids in cropland and prey removal. Provision of stable refuge habitats in annual crops increased carabid species richness and abundance. Further studies demonstrated that the presence of refuge habitats mitigated the impacts of insecticide disturbance on carabid abundance and community structure in adjacent cropland. These results were used as part of a program to educate extension agents and producers in the principles of agroecology and ecologically based pest management. We encourage extension agents and producers to test novel practices using adaptive management. In this approach, predictions are formulated regarding specific management practices and evaluated against the results. Based on these observations, management is then adapted to yield the desired outcome. Such an approach recognizes the inherent uncertainty of multifactor ecological manipulation while providing producers with methods to manage this uncertainty.     

Potato nutrient management in sustainable cropping systems

Sustainable nutrient management involves a set of management practices designed to conserve soil resources, to maintain or enhance productivity, and to help reduce growers’ reliance on chemical fertilizers. Sustainable nutrient management systems will most certainly rely heavily on the use of legume rotation crops and/or organic soil amendments. To realize the full benefit to the crop ecosystem, sustainable nutrient management programs will also likely require longer crop rotations with less frequent potato production. There is considerable research evidence indicating that these systems can maintain or increase productivity while having positive impacts on nutrient supply, soil physical properties, and soil conservation. However, their successful adoption and continued use on a large scale will require resolution of uncertainties related to economic risk associated with inconsistent nutrient availability in alternative nutrient management systems, potential environmental risks associated with excessive P applications in animal manures, and the potential for increased potato pest incidence resulting from manure application.     

Defender: A high-yielding, processing potato cultivar with foliar and tuber resistance to late blight

The potato cultivar Defender is high-yielding, white-skinned, and notable for having foliar and tuber resistance to late blight infection caused byPhytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary. It was released in 2004 by the USDA-ARS and the agricultural experiment stations of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Defender is suitable for processing into french fries and other frozen potato products directly from the field or from storage. Defender also may be used for fresh markets in regions such as California, where cultivars with long tubers and white skin are traditionally grown. Resistances to late blight and other potato diseases make Defender an ideal candidate for organic potato production. Defender consistently produced greater total and U.S. No. 1 yields than ‘Russet Burbank’ in Idaho trials. In early harvest trials conducted in the western U.S., average total yields of Defender were 17% and 23% greater than yields for ‘Ranger Russet’ and ‘Shepody’, respectively. In full-season trials conducted in the western U.S., Defender averaged 10% and 15% higher yields than Ranger Russet and Russet Burbank, respectively. Specific gravity of Defender is consistently high, with values comparable to those of Ranger Russet; tuber ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) levels are also high. In addition to late blight, Defender also is resistant to tuber early blight (Alternaria solani, (Ellis & G. Martin), L.R. Jones & Grout), potato virus X, and net necrosis; it has moderate levels of resistance to Verticillium wilt (Verticillium dahliae, Kleb), pink rot, foliar early blight, corky ringspot, and Erwinia soft rot. Defender is susceptible to scab (common and powdery) and potato leafroll virus; it has moderate susceptibility to dry rot (Fusarium spp.) and potato virus Y. Susceptibilities to internal necrosis, tuber greening, and blackspot bruise also have been noted, but may be minimized through cultural and harvest practices.     

Climate Change and Potato Production in Contrasting South African Agro-Ecosystems 3. Effects on Relative Development Rates of Selected Pathogens and Pests

A set of daily weather data simulations for 1961 to 2050 were used to calculate past and future trends in pest and disease pressure in potato cropping systems at three agro-ecologically distinct sites in South Africa: the Sandveld, the Eastern Free State and Limpopo. The diseases and pests modelled were late blight, early blight and brown spot, blackleg and soft rot, root-knot nematodes and the peach-potato aphid Myzus persicae (as indicator of Potato virus Y and Potato leaf roll virus). The effects of climate on trends in relative development rates of these pathogens and pests were modelled for each pathogen and pest using a set of quantitative parameters, which included specific temperature and moisture requirements for population growth, compiled from literature. Results showed that the cumulative relative development rate (cRDR) of soft rot and blackleg, root-knot nematodes and M. persicae will increase over the 90-year period in the areas under consideration. The cRDR of early blight and brown spot is likely to increase in the wet winter and wet summer crops of the Sandveld and Eastern Free State, respectively, but remains unchanged in the dry summer and dry winter crops of the Sandveld and Limpopo, respectively. Climate change will decrease the cRDR of late blight in all of the cropping systems modelled, except in the wet winter crop of the Sandveld. These results help to set priorities in research and breeding, specifically in relation to management strategies for diseases and pests.     

Problems and Perspectives of Yam-Based Cropping Systems in Africa

SUMMARY

Yams (Dioscorea spp.) constitute an important starchy staple in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) where food security for a growing population is a critical issue. Mixed cropping in yam based systems is the norm in the region and productivity of yams in these systems is below potential. It is concluded that there is much scope for improvement of yam based cropping systems in SSA in order to meet the needs of the region. The strategy of crop breeding to select yam varieties suitable for various cropping systems must consider a truly multidisciplinary systems approach. Further manipulation must be made to tuber dormancy to expand flexibility in field propagation in different cropping systems and improve storage and marketing. The sustainability of yam based cropping systems in SSA could improve if agronomic research was focused on strategies for improving soil fertility, weed and pest management including design of cropping systems and suitable rotations.     

The effect of irrigation strategies during tuber initiation on marketable yield and development of common scab disease of potato in Russet Burbank in Tasmania

Summary Management of soil moisture deficit during tuber initiation and early development was important for the optimisation of net and marketable tuber yields of cv. Russet Burbank on the typical red ferrosol cropping soils of Northern Tasmania, Australia. An effect of reduced water input during the tuber initiation period on increasing incidence of common scab disease was noted in one trial. In subsequent trials disease inoculum levels were not sufficient to show differences between treatments despite a history of disease at the site. For optimisation of marketable yield and probable assistance in the management of common scab disease it is recommended that irrigation scheduling to known soil moisture deficits be adopted during this period of growth on this soil type.     

与尖孢镰刀菌枯萎病相关的抑病型土壤研究进展

由尖孢镰刀菌引起的枯萎病是制约作物生产的世界性重要土传维管束病害,危害的作物种类多,损失严重,生产中尚无经济有效的防治方法。抑病型土壤是指对土传作物病害有抑制作用的一类土壤,具有有益微生物种群结构稳定、对土传病害防效持久等特点,因此国内外专家进行了许多卓有成效的研究。本文对尖孢镰刀菌枯萎病相关抑病型土壤的形成因素、作用机制等方面的研究进展进行综述,并对今后尖孢镰刀菌枯萎病抑病型土壤研究的重点方向及应用前景进行了分析和展望,以其为下一步深入研究尖孢镰刀菌枯萎病抑病型土壤的微生物种群结构、有益微生物种类构成、抑病型土壤的构建方法及复合微生物菌肥研制提供新的参考。     

Use of Chaetomium globosum for biocontrol of potato late blight disease

The efficacy of Chaetomium globosum as a biocontrol agent against the late blight pathogen Phytophthora infestans was evaluated in potato plants. Among eight Chaetomium isolates evaluated C. globosum isolate Cg-6 showed greater inhibition to mycelial growth of P. infestans in vitro. TLC studies showed that isolate Cg-6 produced an antibiotic called ‘Chaetomin’. Isolate Cg-6 showed greater exo- and endo-glucanase enzyme activity when compared to other isolates. PCR amplification of the ITS region and sequencing of the PCR product confirmed that isolate Cg-6 belongs to the C. globosum group. C. globosum Cg-6 was formulated as a liquid and applied as a tuber, soil and foliar treatment either individually or in combination against Phytophthora infection in potato plants. Among different treatments, combined application of C. globosum as a tuber treatment @ 1 ml/kg of tubers, as a soil application @ 1 ml/kg of Farm Yard Manure (FYM) and foliar spray @ 0.7% resulted in significantly less late blight infection (72%) compared to untreated control (100%) under field conditions. The application of C. globosum resulted in greater tuber yield by reducing late blight infection in two field trials when compared to untreated controls. The study clearly demonstrated the potential use of C. globosum as a biocontrol agent in the management of late blight disease in potato plants.     

Susceptibility of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) foliage and tubers to the US8 genotype ofPhytophthora infestans

Late blight is an important disease of potato(Solanum tuberosum L.) worldwide, and therefore, many potato-breeding programs have prioritized the development of late blight-resistant potato cultivars. Although the emphasis has been to enhance foliar resistance, it is also necessary to evaluate tuber late blight resistance in new breeding lines and new sources of late blight resistance. We report here on the assessment of foliar and tuber resistance and the correlation between these aspects of resistance in a sample of Michigan State University potato breeding lines. Two MSU breeding lines had significantly less infected foliage than the susceptible check cultivars. Tuber susceptibility was significantly different (P < 0.05) only between the most susceptible and the least susceptible breeding lines/cultivars. Foliar and tuber susceptibility to potato late blight were not correlated as low tuber susceptibility was associated both with extremely low (e.g., MSG274-3) and high (e.g., MSE202-3Rus) foliar susceptibility.     

西南山区马铃薯病虫害状况分析

西南山区由于其立体气候的多样性而使马铃薯发生多种病虫害,造成产量的不稳定性。通过一系列的问卷调查和大田观察取样以及实验室病理检测,结果说明晚疫病、病毒病和青枯病是本地区最重要的病害。晚疫病常年造成１０％～３０％的产量损失,且每隔数年有一次大流行而造成更大的产量损失。种薯因病毒和其它病菌感染而不同程度地影响到产量的发挥。青枯病的发病规律较为复杂且较难预测控制。这几种病害的发生程度与作物生长季节、海拔、种薯年龄、品种、农艺措施等等密切相关。现有品种间发现有抗晚疫病和青枯病的差异。土样根系样中发现有各种寄生性线虫存在,但其危害性特别是与青枯病的关系有待进一步研究明确。２８星瓢虫是本地区危害最重的害虫。本文还列举讨论了各种病虫害防治措施。     

黑土区坡耕地重茬大豆阻控技术研究

在黑龙江省海伦市黑土区坡耕地条件下,采用秋整地时增施有机肥、种肥中增施磷钾肥和种子包衣技术,选用抗耐重茬大豆品种和喷施叶面肥等措施组合成2套综合技术,探讨可控制该地重茬大豆病虫害和降低减产幅度的有效手段.结果表明:与重茬对照相比,2套技术均可明显提高大豆株高、根瘤鲜重、根瘤数量、地上干鲜重和地下干鲜重,降低大豆根腐病和籽粒病虫害.所以2套综合措施可促进重茬大豆生长,增强抗病能力,提高产量.     

Pacific Russet: An early maturing, attractive russet cultivar with excellent culinary quality

Pacific Russet is a high-yielding, early maturing, oblong russet fresh market cultivar with excellent tuber appearance and culinary quality. In trials conducted in western Canada the yield of the new cultivar was generally superior to Russet Burbank, Ranger Russet, and Atlantic at 80, 90, and 110 days after planting. In the North Central Regional Variety Trial the yield of Pacific Russet exceeded that of Russet Norkotah in four of the eight sites in 2000 and three of the eight sites in 2001. In trials conducted in Ontario (Canada) Pacific Russet exceeded the yield of Goldrush at both sites in 2001 and in 2002 at two of the three sites that included both cultivars. External and internal defects occur at very low levels. The new cultivar is resistant to common scab and moderately resistant to Verticillium and Fusarium wilt, but susceptible to Fusarium dry rot and late blight (foliar). Pacific Russet shows clear foliar but not tuber symptoms when infected with bacterial ring rot.     

双季杂交稻耕作系统中养分与农药管理对土壤微生物活性的影响

 田间实验表明在不同的管理方式和不同生长期所研究的土壤参数均发生显著变化。土壤微生物生物量/磷脂含量随水稻生长期延长而显著减少，同时，单独施用肥料或农药和同时施用肥料和农药均导致土壤微生物生物量/磷脂含量发生一定变化，单独施用农药的土壤中土壤微生物生物量/磷脂含量最低。异养型细菌和蛋白质分解菌数量随水稻生长期延长持续减少，单独施用农药的土壤中异养型细菌和蛋白质分解菌数量最少，异养型细菌和蛋白质分解菌数量的变化趋势与土壤微生物生物量/磷脂含量相似。电子运输系统/脱氢酶活度随水稻生长期延长持续增强。与对照相比，单独施用肥料或同施农药和肥料导致土壤中电子运输系统活度增强，而单独施用农药土壤中电子运输系统活度明显下降。单独施用肥料或农药及同时施用肥料和农药处理中，土壤中蛋白质含量相对稳定，但在不同生长期存在较大变化。关键词     

Relationship between resistance to late blight in potato foliage and tubers of cultivars and breeding selections with different resistance levels

Due to changes in the pathogen population, late blight of potatoes caused byPhytophthora infestans has become a more difficult disease to manage and there is a need for new potato cultivars with greater and more stable disease resistance. Field studies are required to identify and characterize host resistance to late blight in both foliage and tubers but, as epidemics vary from year to year, combining multi-year results can be difficult. Residual maximum likelihood (REML) was successfully used to analyze data which demonstrated good correlations between foliar and tuber responses to late blight (US-1 genotype). In addition, studies on post-harvest inoculated tubers provided more reliable disease responses than field studies, and the disease resistance with this method correlated well with foliar disease responses. This tuber test would be a useful method of pre-screening selections for disease response prior to testing in the field.