Common Potato Diseases and the Latest Control Methods
Potato is an important crop in China with extremely wide uses. However, it is also prone to a relatively large number of diseases, and since its tubers grow underground, some problems are quite difficult to detect. Below, Qinnong Net introduces several common diseases so that everyone can gain some understanding of this area.
1. Late blight
Late blight of potato mostly occurs on the leaf surface and spreads to the potato as time goes on, with fairly obvious symptoms. In the early stage of the disease, some spots begin to appear on the leaves, slowly turning brown; in dry conditions the whole plant gradually dries up and wilts, while in wetter environments it begins to rot and give off a foul smell, and eventually the tubers become the same. You can use 50% copper metalaxyl at 700—800 times dilution for control, once a week for one month.
2. Powdery scab
Powdery scab of potato mostly affects the roots and tubers. On affected potatoes, some dark brown spots appear on the surface, which finally burst open to form uneven little pits. When the disease occurs, observing the plant roots will reveal some swollen little lumps, which finally split open into pitted lesions. It mostly occurs concentrated in the rainy season. You can spray 50% benomyl wettable powder at 1500 times dilution for control, or before sowing soak for 3-5 minutes in 2% hydrochloric acid solution, then dry and sow.
3. Dry rot
Dry rot has an extremely large impact on potato tubers, and the disease is also mostly concentrated on the tubers. It shows as sunken brown spots appearing on the surface of the potato, which then slowly corrode inward, accompanied by white mold-like material; finally the entire interior of the tuber becomes black, dry, withered material, and in the most serious cases the whole tuber is in a state of dry rot. In the early planting stage, 58% metalaxyl-mancozeb wettable powder can be used for control.
4. Soft rot
This is a disease that appears in many plants, and a major cause is excessively moist soil, so the appearance of this disease means that the soil in this area is too damp; its biggest characteristic is that it has a foul smell. When the disease occurs, it starts from the wettest leaf areas and then spreads to the whole plant; the affected parts rot, while unaffected areas turn yellow. You can use 50% baijuntong wettable powder at 500 times dilution for control; in severe cases it is best to remove the plants promptly to avoid spread.
Potatoes of course have many other diseases as well; here we have only listed a few of the more common ones. Everyone should pay attention to these diseases, and should not only control the areas where they occur; other areas should also be inspected. This can better ensure the yield.