Bacterial diseases affecting potatoes

Publication date: 07/09/2018
Extent: 20 pages

Contributions by: M. Jennifer Sjölund, Rachel Kelly, Gerry S. Saddler and David M. Kenyon, Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA), UK

Chapter synopsis: Bacterial pathogens continue to pose a significant threat to potato production through in-field yield losses, storage rots and reduced marketability. Ralstonia solanacearum alone is estimated to cause US$1 billion losses worldwide. In this chapter we review current knowledge on principal bacterial diseases of potato, namely ring rot (Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus), brown rot (Ralstonia solanacearum), blackleg (Pectobacterium and Dickeya spp.) and common scab (Streptomyces spp.), as well as the recently emerging pathogens, Dickeya solani and ‘Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’ causing blackleg and zebra chip, respectively. We also review sustainable disease management strategies and discuss how the development and increasing accessibility of molecular genetics have enabled new avenues of research.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2017.0031.10