Potato dry rot continues to affect storage and postharvest handling, resulting in losses for growers. Researchers at Colorado State University in the San Luis Valley, a potato production region in the U.S., have identified multiple fungal species associated with the disease.
Using structural and molecular analysis, plant pathologists at CSU's San Luis Valley Research Center identified four Fusarium species linked to potato dry rot in the region, including one species not previously reported in the U.S.
© Colorado State University
The findings, published in Plant Disease, are intended to support disease diagnosis and monitoring in storage systems, inform management strategies, and contribute to cultivar selection and breeding for resistance. The results also provide information for growers, storage operators, and researchers working on potato disease management.
"Identifying the specific species present is essential because different Fusarium species vary in aggressiveness, epidemiology, and response to management practices," said lead author Hafiz M. Usman Aslam.
"This study contributes to a better understanding of the pathogens responsible for potato dry rot in the San Luis Valley, helping protect the sustainability and economic viability of potato production in Colorado."
Source: Phys.Org
