Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Control of Powdery Scab of Potato: Towards Integrated Disease Management

  • Symposium Paper
  • Published:
American Journal of Potato Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

An Erratum to this article was published on 05 September 2008

Abstract

Powdery scab of potato, caused by the plasmodiophorid pathogen Spongospora subterranea f. sp. subterranea, is an increasingly important disease where potatoes are grown in cool/temperate regions. Powdery scab lesions on tubers downgrade their quality as seed, fresh vegetable or processing potatoes, and the disease can severely harm crop productivity. Aspects of the biology of S. subterranea, including long-term persistence in soil, high and rapid reproductive potential, and, possibly, ability to infect alternative hosts, pose considerable problems for development of effective control of powdery scab. Methods shown to reduce the incidence and severity of the disease are reviewed. These include field choice and crop rotation, pathogen detection, use of resistant cultivars, planting disease- and pathogen-free seed tubers, appropriate pesticide treatments for seed tubers and/or infested soil, adjustment of soil nutrient status, and use of suitable management practices during crop growth. No single method is likely to give complete control of powdery scab, particularly where S. subterranea inoculum levels are high on seed tubers or in soil. Effective disease management will therefore depend on implementation of several appropriate methods, using an integrated approach to powdery scab control. This requires understanding of the biology of S. subterranea, and comprehensive and conscientious adherence to appropriate disease control methods during most stages of the potato crop management cycle.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Andersen, B.A.B., M. Nicolaisen, and S.L. Nielsen. 2002. Alternative hosts for potato mop-top virus, genus Pomovirus and its vector Spongospora subterranea f. sp. subterranea. Potato Research 45: 37–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bell, K.S., J. Roberts, S. Verrall, D.W. Cullen, N.A. Williams, J.G. Harrison, I.K. Toth, D.E.L. Cooke, J.M. Duncan, and J.R. Claxon. 1999. Detection and quantification of Spongospora subterranea f. sp. subterranea in soils and on tubers using specific PCR primers. European Journal of Plant Pathology 105: 905–915.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bradshaw, J.E. 1994. Quantitative genetics theory for tetrasomic inheritance. In Potato genetics, eds. J. E. Bradshaw, , and G. R. Mackay, 71–99. Wallingford, UK: CAB International.

    Google Scholar 

  • Braithwaite, M., R.E. Falloon, R.A. Genet, A.R. Wallace, J.D. Fletcher, and W.F. Braam. 1994. Control of powdery scab of potatoes with chemical seed tuber treatments. New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science 22: 121–128.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bulman, S.R., and J.W. Marshall. 1998. Detection of Spongospora subterranea in potato lesions using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Plant Pathology 47: 759–766.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burgess, P.J., and S.J. Wale. 1994. Development of an integrated control strategy for powdery scab of potatoes. Brighton Crop Protection Conf. Pests and Diseases, 1994. Vol 1. British Crop Protection Council, pp. 301–306.

  • de Boer, R.F., and N.S. Crump. 2005. Powdery scab (Spongospora subterranea) of potatoes—research in Australia. Abstracts of papers presented at the 88th Annual Meeting of the Potato Association of America, Scottsbluff, NE, USA, August 8–12, 2005. American Journal of Potato Research 82: 64–65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Donald, E.C., I.J. Porter, and R.A. Lancaster. 2001. Band application of fluazinam (Shirlan) into soil to control clubroot of vegetable brassica crops. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 41: 1223–1226.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Falloon, R.E., A.R. Wallace, M. Braithwaite, R.A. Genet, H.M. Nott, J.D. Fletcher, and W.F. Braam. 1996. Assessment of seed tuber, in-furrow and foliar chemical treatments for control of powdery scab (Spongospora subterranea f. sp. subterranea) of potato. New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science 24: 341–353.

    Google Scholar 

  • Falloon, R.E., R.A. Genet, A.R. Wallace, and H.M. Nott. 1999. Integrated management of powdery scab of potato; a 3-year field evaluation of disease resistance, chemical and cultural controls. In Proceedings of the 1st Australasian Soilborne Diseases Symposium, ed. R.C. Magarey, 179–181. Brisbane: Bureau of Sugar Experiment Stations.

  • Falloon, R.E., U. Merz, D. Curtin, and R.C. Butler. 2001. Boron affects Spongospora subterranea infection of host roots; laboratory and glasshouse results. In Proceedings of the 2nd Australasian Soilborne Diseases Symposium, ed. I.J. Porter et al., 101–102. Lorne, Victoria, 5–8 March 2001.

  • Falloon, R.E., R.A. Genet, A.R. Wallace, and R.C. Butler. 2003. Susceptibility of potato (Solanum tuberosum) cultivars to powdery scab (caused by Spongospora subterranea f. sp. subterranea), and relationships between tuber and root infection. Australasian Plant Pathology 32: 377–385.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Falloon, R.E., D. Curtin, R.A. Lister, and R.C. Butler. 2004. The obligate pathogen Spongospora subterranea affects host (Solanum tuberosum) root function. In Proceedings of the 3rd Australasian Soilborne Diseases Symposium, eds. KM Ophel-Keller and BH Hall, 30–31. Adelaide: South Australian Research and Development Institute.

  • Falloon, R.E., D. Curtin, R.A. Lister, and R.C. Butler. 2005. Different soil pHs have little effect on Spongospora subterranea infection of potato roots. Abstracts of papers presented at the 88th Annual Meeting of the Potato Association of America, Scottsbluff, NE, USA, August 8–12, 2004. American Journal of Potato Research 82: 68–69.

    Google Scholar 

  • Genet, R.A., R.E. Falloon, W.F. Braam, A.R. Wallace, J.M.E. Jacobs, and S.J. Baldwin. 2005. Resistance to powdery scab (Spongospora subterranea). Proceedings of the 16th Triennial Conference of the European Association of Potato Research, Bilbao, Spain, July 15–22, 2005, p. 738.

  • Genet, R.A., W.F. Braam, A.R. Wallace and R.E Falloon. 2007. Susceptibility of potato cultivars and germplasm lines to powdery scab in New Zealand. www.spongospora.ethz.ch/EUWorkshop07/index.htm, Programme with abstracts, Thursday.

  • Harrison, J.G., R.J. Searle, and N.A. Williams. 1997. Powdery scab disease of potato—a review. Plant Patholology 46: 1–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Iftikhar, S., and I. Ahmad. 2005. Alternative hosts of Spongospora subterranea f. sp. subterranea, the causal organism of powdery scab of potato. Abstracts of papers presented at the 88th Annual Meeting of the Potato Association of America, Scottsbluff, NE, USA, August 8–12, 2004. American Journal of Potato Research 82: 74–75.

    Google Scholar 

  • Janke, C. 1965. Untersuchungen über den Wirtspflanzenkreis von Spongospora subterranea Wallr. Johns. Nachrichtenblatt für den Deutschen Pflanzenschutzdienst Berlin 19: 1–4.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, R.A.C., and B.D. Harrison. 1969. The behaviour of potato mop-top virus in soil, and evidence for its transmission by Spongospora subterranea (Wallr.) Lagerh. Annals of Applied Biology 63: 1–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karling, J.S. 1968. The Plasmodiophorales, 2nd edition. New York, USA: Hafner Publishing Co. p. 256.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirkham, R.P. 1986. Screening for resistance to powdery scab. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 26: 245–247.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kole, A.P. 1954. A contribution to the knowledge of Spongospora subterranea (Wallr.) Lagerh., the cause of powdery scab of potatoes. Tijdschr Plziekt 60: 1–65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lister, R.A., R.E. Falloon, D. Curtin, and R.C. Butler. 2004. Spongospora subterranea reduces host (Solanum tuberosum) growth. In Proceedings of the 3rd Australasian Soilborne Diseases Symposium, eds. KM Ophel-Keller and BH Hall, 135–136. Adelaide: South Australian Research and Development Institute.

  • McCreary, C.W.R. 1967. The effect of sulphur application to the soil in the control of some tuber diseases. Proceedings of the 4th British Insecticide and Fungicide Conference, pp. 303–308.

  • Merz, U. 1989. Infectivity, inoculum density and germination of Spongospora subterranea resting spores. Bulletin OEPP 19: 123–127.

    Google Scholar 

  • Merz, U. 2008. Powdery scab of potato—occurrence, life cycle and epidemiology. American Journal of Potato Research (in press).

  • Merz, U., J.A. Walsh, K. Bouchek-Mechiche, T. Oberhaensil, and W. Bitterlin. 2005a. Improved immunological detection of Spongospora subterranea. European Journal of Plant Pathology 111: 371–379.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Merz, U., P.-Y. Jaquiéry, A. Keiser, T. Oberhaensli, and J.A. Walsh. 2005b. Powdery scab—tools for an integrated control approach. Proceedings of the 16th Triennial Conference of the European Association of Potato Research, Bilbao, Spain, July 15–22, 2005, pp. 129–131.

  • Nachmias, A., and J. Krikun. 1988. Etiology and control of powdery scab of potato in a semi-arid region of Israel. Phytoparasitica 16: 33–38.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Neilsen, S.L., and J. Larsen. 2004. Two Trichoderma harzianum-based biological control agents reduce tomato root infection with Spongospora subterranea (Wallr.) Lagerh., f. sp. subterranea, the vector of potato mop-top virus. Zeitsch Pflanzenkrankheit Pflanzenschutz 111: 145–150.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parlevliet, J.E. 1989. Identification and evaluation of quantitative resistance. In Plant disease epidemiology. Vol 2. Genetics, resistance and management, eds. K. J. Leonard, , and W. E. Fry, 215–248. London, UK: McGraw-Hill Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, P.A., and S.P. Flett. 1981. Effect of irrigation on powdery scab of potatoes. Australasian Plant Pathology 10: 55–56.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, P.A., S.P. Flett, R.F. de Boer, and D. Marshall. 1986. Effects of irrigation regimes on powdery scab disease and yield of potatoes. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 26: 745–750.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van der Graaf, P., A.K. Lees, D.W. Cullen, and J.M. Duncan. 2003. Detection and quantification of Spongospora subterranea in soil, water and plant tissue samples using real-time PCR. European Journal of Plant Pathology 109: 589–597.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walsh, J.A., U. Merz, and J.G. Harrison. 1996. Serological detection of spore balls of Spongospora subterranea and quantification in soil. Plant Patholology 45: 884–895.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wale, S.J. 1987. Powdery scab—are there any easy solutions? Potato World 4: 8–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ward, L.I., P.A. Beales, A.V. Barnes, and C.R. Lane. 2004. A real-time PCR assay based method for routine diagnosis of Spongospora subterranea on potato tubers. Journal of Phytopathology 152: 633–638.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Winter, W., and F.A. Winiger. 1983. Einfluss verscheidener Fangpflanzen sowie von Kalk und Kalstickstoff auf die Bodenverseuchung mit Spongospora subterranea, dem Erreger des Pulverschorfes. Mitt Schw Landw 31: 190–206.

    Google Scholar 

  • Würzer, B. 1964. Ergänzende Untersuchungen über den Pulverschorf der Kartoffel und dessen Erreger Spongospora subterranea (Wallr.) Lagerh. Dissertation, Landwirtschaftlichen Hochschule Hohenheim, Band 34, Verlag Ulmer Stuttgart, 104 pp.

Download references

Acknowledgements

This paper has been prepared as part of research funded by the New Zealand Foundation for Research, Science and Technology. Financial assistance for attendance at the 88th Annual Meeting of the Potato Association of America was provided by a grant from the USDA-ARS Potato Program under the leadership of Dr Barbara Christ. Dr Ueli Merz gave helpful suggestions on the manuscript of this paper.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. New Zealand Institute for Crop & Food Research Limited, Private Bag 4704, Christchurch, New Zealand

    Richard E. Falloon

Authors
  1. Richard E. Falloon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Richard E. Falloon.

Additional information

An erratum to this article can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12230-008-9047-x

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Falloon, R.E. Control of Powdery Scab of Potato: Towards Integrated Disease Management. Am. J. Pot Res 85, 253–260 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-008-9022-6

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-008-9022-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation