American Journal of Potato Research

, Volume 82, Issue 2, pp 173–177 | Cite as

First report ofPythium sylvaticum causing potato tuber rot

  • R. D. Peters
  • H. W. Bud Platt
  • C. A. Lévesque
Short Communication
Accepted:

Abstract

Leak is a post-harvest disease of potato tubers manifested by a wet, spongy rot that can quickly lead to complete tuber decay. In North America, leak is most commonly caused byPythium ultimum var.ultimum Trow, although a number of otherPythium spp. have been found to be pathogenic to potato tubers. We report that an isolate identified by DNA sequencing asP. sylvaticum Campbell & Hendrix was pathogenic to potato tubers. The organism produced a dark, hollow cavity in tubers that was much drier in texture than typical symptoms of leak. Symptomology was similar in tubers of the cultivars Yukon Gold, Green Mountain, and Russet Burbank. Studies to complete Koch’s postulates confirmed thatP. sylvaticum could be reisolated from diseased tissue and produced the same disease symptoms when isolates were subsequently re-inoculated into healthy tubers. This is the first report ofP. sylvaticum causing rot in potato tubers.

Additional Key Words

potato Solanum tuberosum leak Pythium ultimum Pythium sylvaticum 
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Copyright information

© Springer 2005

Authors and Affiliations

  • R. D. Peters
    • 1
  • H. W. Bud Platt
    • 1
  • C. A. Lévesque
    • 2
  1. 1.Agriculture and Agri-Food CanadaCrops and Livestock Research CentreCharlottetownCanada
  2. 2.Agriculture and Agri-Food CanadaEastern Cereal and Oilseed Research Centre, Central Experimental FarmOttawaCanada

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