Plgging a Leak:Managing Pythium leak in potatoes

摘要

Pythium leak—caused by species such as Pythium ultimum, Pythium aphanidermatum and Pythium delicense—is a major storage rot disease impacting potato production throughout the world.P. ultimum is the principal pathogen causing pythium leak in the Pacific Northwest. P. ultimum is a common soil-borne pathogen in agricultural soils and is a type of water mold. This pathogen is a generalist and is capable of infecting seeds and roots ofa large number of crop plants in addition to potato tubers. Most infections take place when tubers are wounded during harvest and survival spores of the pathogen in the soil, called oospores, come in contact with the wounded area. However, some evidence has recently been found of infections taking place through tuber eyes or lenticels prior to harvest.