Variability in responses of US-8 and US-11 genotypes of potato and tomato isolates ofPhytophthora infestans to commercial fungicidesin vitro

Isolates ofPhytophthora infestans collected in Canada from potato and tomato plants from 1994 to 1998 were tested for their responsein vitro to equal active ingredient concentrations (1, 2.5, and 5 μg a.i/mL) of six commercial fungicides: Acrobat MZ (dimethomorph and mancozeb), Ridomil Gold (metalaxyl-m), Dithane (mancozeb), Curzate (cymoxanil), Bravo (chlorothalonil), and Tattoo C (propamocarb and chlorothalonil). Relative mycelial growth of isolates estimated on fungicideamended vs fungicide-free media was compared among isolates of the US-8 and US-11 genotypes from the two host plants. The effects of these fungicides on spore germination of isolates from the two genotypes were also estimated. Mycelial growth of US-8 and US-11 isolates was most affected by Bravo and Tattoo C, followed by Acrobat, and then Curzate and Dithane. Ridomil Gold was not effective in inhibitingin vitro growth of US-11 isolates at the concentrations tested. Variations in sensitivity to different fungicides among isolates of the same genotype collected in different years were observed. For example, based on 2.5 and 5 μg a.i./mL, potato/US-11 isolates collected from 1995 to 1997 showed increased sensitivity to Curzate and Ridomil Gold, while decreased sensitivity was recorded with Dithane. For US-8 isolates, responses to the fungicides varied according to fungicide and year. Variations were generally not significant for Acrobat, Curzate, Bravo, and Tattoo C over time. Conversely, potato/US-8 isolates from 1995 and 1998 were less sensitive to Dithane and Ridomil Gold than those from 1994, 1996, and 1997.