Potato diseases - how to prevent them?

• Fungal diseases of potatoes include, first of all, late blight, infection of tubers occurs as a result of infection during the growing season from the affected tops. Fusarium dry rot is caused by an infection that is located on the tubers in lumps of soil adhering to them. Most often, tubers damaged during harvesting are affected by fusarium. Infection of potatoes with black scab occurs during the period of plant growth. The reason for the appearance of this disease of potatoes is the permanent cultivation of crops in one place, late harvest, unfavorable weather conditions (too cold spring).

• The most common bacterial infection of potatoes is ring rot, the causative agent of which penetrates the potato tubers at the early stages of tuberization. Infection with blackleg occurs during the growth of the plant and can lead to large losses in yield during storage, a provoking moment in the spread of the disease is contact with the affected tubers and high humidity. The cause of the appearance of wet bacterial rot is usually hypothermia of tubers, untimely harvesting, an excessive amount of nitrogen fertilizers applied to the soil. The introduction of excessive doses of lime fertilizers, non-rotted manure and garbage, light alkaline soils often cause potato scab disease, which leads to an increased susceptibility of potato tubers to the effects of putrefactive bacteria and fungi.

The main methods of preventing potato diseases:

• correct selection of planting material,
• processing it with modern plant protection products,
• observance of the alternation of planting plants in the beds - it is not recommended to plant potatoes in the same place for several years in a row.