Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #132296
Title: MANAGING POTATO LATE BLIGHT AT THE CENTER OF ORIGIN: INTEGRATING DURABLE RESISTANCE WITH A DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM

Author
item Grunwald, Niklaus - Nik
item FRY, W - CORNELL UNIV, NY

Submitted to: Phytopathology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/1/2002
Publication Date: 6/1/2002
Citation: GRUNWALD, N.J., FRY, W.W. MANAGING POTATO LATE BLIGHT AT THE CENTER OF ORIGIN: INTEGRATING DURABLE RESISTANCE WITH A DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM. PHYTOPATHOLOGY. 92(6):S32. 2002.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Management of potato late blight in the highland tropics is costly and difficult. Integrating the use of resistant cultivars with a fungicide forecasting system could lower the number of fungicide applications. The Mexican national potato program has produced several cultivars with high levels of field resistance. We evaluated durability of resistance to potato late blight of a selection of 12 cultivars (1960-1999) and found that field-resistance in the Mexican germplasm is durable. Previously, we evaluated the fungicide forecasting system SimCast for use with these Mexican cultivars and found that it predicted too many fungicide applications for cultivars of moderate to high levels of resistance. We adapted SimCast and field validations conducted in 1999 and 2000 show that SimCast resulted in good disease control on cultivars ranging from susceptible to highly resistant. The number of fungicide applications forecast for cultivars with moderate to high levels of resistance was reduced. Precipitation was the environmental variable responsible for most of the forecasts. A user-friendly decision support system consisting of just a rain-gauge and the exclusive use of SimCast's fungicide units could be a valuable and affordable tool in managing potato late blight in the highland tropics.