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Symptoms and yield reduction caused by Dickeya spp. strains isolated from potato and river water in Finland

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Abstract

Biochemical characterisation of Dickeya strains isolated from potato plants and river water samples in Finland showed that the majority of the strains were biovar 3. They thus resembled the strains recently isolated from potato in the Netherlands, Poland and Israel and form a new clade within the Dickeya genus. About half of the Finnish isolates resembling strains within this new clade were virulent and caused wilting, necrotic lesions and rotting of leaves and stems. Similar symptoms were caused by D. dianthicola strains isolated from one potato sample and from several river water samples. Frequently, the rotting caused by the Dickeya strains was visible in the upper parts of the stem, while the stem base was necrotic from the pith but hard and green on the outside, resulting in symptoms quite different from the blackleg caused by Pectobacterium atrosepticum. The presence of Dickeya in the symptomatic plants in the field assay was verified with a conventional PCR and with a real-time PCR test developed for the purpose. The virulent Dickeya strains reduced the yield of individual plants by up to 50% and caused rotting of the daughter tubers in the field and in storage. Management of Dickeya spp. in the potato production chain requires awareness of the symptoms and extensive knowledge about the epidemiology of the disease.

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Acknowledgements

Laboratory assistants Satu Kostamo, Aila Sirén and Pascaline Hamon and technician Marjo Kilpinen are thanked for their assistance. SCRI for the P. atrosepticum strains SCRI1043 and SCRI1039. Hanna Kortemaa at Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira and Anne Rahkonen at Finnish Potato Research Institute are thanked for collaboration, and Michel Pérombelon is thanked for many fruitful and interesting discussions during the project. Financial support from Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (4868/501/03) and MTT Agrifood Research Finland is gratefully acknowledged.

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Author notes

  1. Jaana Laurila

    Present address: Satafood Development Association, Viialankatu 25,, 32700, Huittinen, Finland

Authors and Affiliations

  1. MTT, Agrifood Research Finland, Plant Protection, FI-31600, Jokioinen, Finland

    Jaana Laurila & Asko Hannukkala

  2. Department of Applied Biology, University of Helsinki, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland

    Johanna Nykyri, Miia Pasanen, Linda Garlant & Minna Pirhonen

  3. Seed (GNIS -FNPPPT) and Ware potato professionals (CNIPT), INRA, UMR1099 BiO3P, BP35327, 35653, Le Rheu Cedex, France

    Valérie Hélias

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  1. Jaana Laurila
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Correspondence to Minna Pirhonen.

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Laurila, J., Hannukkala, A., Nykyri, J. et al. Symptoms and yield reduction caused by Dickeya spp. strains isolated from potato and river water in Finland. Eur J Plant Pathol 126, 249–262 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-009-9537-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-009-9537-9

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