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The Potato Tuber Disease Occurrence as Affected by Conventional and Organic Farming Systems

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Abstract

A study was conducted which aimed to investigate the effect of farming systems (FS) (four conventional with increasing mineral N fertilizer amounts 0–150 kg of N ha−1) vs. two organic with catch crops (CC) and cattle manure (CC + M)) under the same five crop rotation system on the occurrence of tuber diseases such as common scab (Streptomyces spp.), silver scurf (Helminthosporium solani), dry rot (Fusarium spp.), and soft rot (Pectobacterium spp.). As the average of the first rotation years 2009–2011, the FS had a significant effect on the occurrence of silver scurf, dry rot and common scab (surface cover <30 %). The organic systems had significantly more tubers (around 39 %) infected with common scab (surface cover 4–15 %) than in conventional systems (around 25 %). However, when the surface lesion severity increased (surface cover 16–30 %) then differences occurred only between organic systems (in system Organic CC 4.1 % and in system Organic CC + M 13.1 % of tubers infected). The Organic CC system had significantly fewer tubers infected with silver scurf compared to all conventional farming systems (10.5 % vs 17.8–23.4 %). During the first and after the second disease measurement there were less tubers infected with dry rot in Organic CC (0.8–0.9 %) and conventional N high (0.5–1.4 %) systems compared to N low (1.8–3.0 % of tubers infected) system. Soft rot infections were not influenced by farming systems. Thus we conclude that it is possible to influence the occurrence of some tuber diseases with FS.

Resumen

Se condujo un trabajo con el propósito de investigar el efecto de los sistemas agrícolas (FS) (cuatro convencionales con incrementos en cantidades de fertilizante mineral de N, de 0 a 150 kg de N ha−1) vs dos orgánicos con cultivos intermedios (CC) y estiércol de ganado vacuno (CC + M) bajo el mismo sistema de rotación de cinco cultivos, sobre la incidencia de enfermedades de tubérculo como la roña común (Streptomyces spp.), mancha plateada (Helminthosporium solani), pudrición seca (Fusarium spp.), y la pudrición suave (Pectobacterium spp). Como promedio de los primeros años de rotación 2009–2011, el FS tuvo efecto significativo en la incidencia de la mancha plateada, la pudrición seca y la roña común (superficie cubierta < 30 %). Los sistemas orgánicos tuvieron significativamente más tubérculos (alrededor de 39 %) infectados con la roña común (superficie cubierta 4–15 %) que en los sistemas convencionales (cerca del 25 %). No obstante, cuando la severidad de la lesión de la superficie aumentó (superficie cubierta 16–30 %) entonces las diferencias se presentaron solo entre los sistemas orgánicos (en el sistema orgánico CC 4.1 % y en el sistema orgánico CC + M 13.1 % de tubérculos infectados). El sistema orgánico CC tuvo significativamente menos tubérculos infectados con la mancha plateada en comparación con todos los sistemas agrícolas convencionales (10.5 % vs 17.8–23.4). Durante la primera y después de la segunda lectura de enfermedad hubo menos tubérculos infectados con pudrición seca en el sistema orgánico CC (0.8–0.9 %) y el convencional N alto (0.5–1.4 %) comparados con N bajo (1.8–3.0 % de tubérculos infectados). Las infecciones de pudrición suave no se influenciaron por los sistemas agrícolas. De aquí que concluimos que es posible influenciar la incidencia de algunas enfermedades de tubérculo con FS.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to gratefully acknowledge the financial support for this research, provided by the Estonian Science Foundation project SF0170057s09, Estonian Foundation grant no 9432, project RESIST 3.2.0701.11–0003, the Estonian Ministry of Education and Research project T13001PKTM, and the CORE Organic II funding bodies, being partners of the FP7 ERA-Net project, CORE Organic II TILMAN-ORG.

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  1. Department of Field Crops and Grassland Husbandry, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Fr. R. Kreutzwaldi 1, EE51014, Tartu, Estonia

    Berit Tein, Karin Kauer, Viacheslav Eremeev, Are Selge & Evelin Loit

  2. Department of Plant Protection, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Fr. R. Kreutzwaldi 1, EE51014, Tartu, Estonia

    Eve Runno-Paurson & Anne Luik

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  1. Berit Tein
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Tein, B., Kauer, K., Runno-Paurson, E. et al. The Potato Tuber Disease Occurrence as Affected by Conventional and Organic Farming Systems. Am. J. Potato Res. 92, 662–672 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-015-9481-5

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