Growers are concerned about tuber blight

UK - June 18, 2004

Potato growers and advisers are concerned about tuber blight and are actively enforcing a range of measures to prevent the problem, according to a survey conducted by Dow AgroSciences, who market the potato blight fungicide, Electis*.

According to the results of the survey, around 93% of growers and advisors said that they were “very concerned or concerned” about tuber blight. Nearly two in five (39%) thought that the risk of tuber blight was increasing, whilst nearly half of those interviewed (47%) thought that the risk was staying the same. Only 9% thought that the risk of tuber blight was decreasing.

“Tuber blight remains a major concern for growers and their advisors. Losses attributable to this disease are considerable and the disease is commonly regarded as the principal cause of fungal wastage in stored potatoes in the UK. Growers confirm that they are taking an integrated approach to minimise this risk. The survey indicated that 80% of growers and advisors were using more robust foliar blight programs in their fight against tuber blight. Over 60% saw controlling stem blight as a measure to reduce tuber blight. Just over half (55%) were spraying later right up until harvest and 42% were starting their blight program earlier. Nearly half (48%) intended to burn their crop off rapidly and a further 45% said that they were using tighter intervals,” reports John Sellars, Product Manager for Dow AgroSciences.

“In terms of products, 45% said that they would use more Electis (zoxium and mancozeb), 44% would use more cyazofamid (Ranman) and 34% more fluazinam (Shirlan). In the survey, growers and advisors were also asked which product they thought was the most effective against tuber blight. Electis from Dow AgroSciences and cyazofamid from Belchim were regarded as being the most effective, followed by fluazinam from Syngenta, probably because these three fungicides have known zoospore activity” concludes John.