Comparison of Mineral Oil and Rapeseed Oil Used for the Protection of Seed Potatoes against PVY and PVM Infections

The aim of this research was to compare the effectiveness of mineral oil with rapeseed oil in the protection of potato seeds against Potato virus Y (PVY) and Potato virus M (PVM) infection. The research was carried out under field conditions in the north of Poland, in the Department of Potato Protection and Seed Science of the Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute??National Research Institute at Bonin. The effects of oil protection on potato seed infection by viruses, yield, and its structure and phytotoxity were assessed. Two rapeseed oils and one mineral oil were used: Olejan 85 EC (85% of natural rapeseed oil), alimentary oil Marlibo (100% of natural rapeseed oil) and Sunspray 850 EC (98.8% mineral oil+1.2% emulsifier). The effectiveness of oils in protection against PVY and PVM tuber infection was tested on two cultivars (Clarissa and Rosalind), which have a different level of resistance to the two viruses. The assessment of phytotoxicity was carried out on 10 potato cultivars from different earliness groups (Augusta, Bryza, Cekin, Clarissa, Impala, Krasa, Rosalind, Satina, Velox). Two oil concentrations, 2% and 4% were applied. During the growing period, eight to nine oil treatments were applied at 7-day intervals. The effectiveness of rapeseed oils against PVY and PVM was much weaker than that of the mineral oil and for the susceptible cultivar the percentage infected tubers did not differ significantly from untreated crops. However, Olejan 85 EC deserves attention as it significantly reduced PVY infection across years in the more resistant cultivar, especially in the case of a lower concentration (2% vs. 4%). When there are no other means of protection to use on organic seed plantations, this oil can be used as an alternative, especially in the case of cultivars which are moderately resistant to PVY. A disadvantage of its application may be the fact that in some years symptoms of phytotoxicity on potato plants were recorded and a lowering of tuber yield.