Late blight is a significant potato disease issue that can cause immense damage if it’s not managed. It is a fungal disease that attacks potato foliage, stems, and tubers resulting in reduced yield and quality. Here are some control measures to manage late blight in potato crop:
1. Crop rotation: Rotating potato crops with non-solanaceous crops such as cereals, legumes, or grasses can reduce the occurrence of late blight. This measure minimizes the buildup of disease inoculum from one season to another.
2. Field sanitation: After harvest, all potato plants and debris should be removed and buried. This measure lessens the chances of spores from surviving and re-infecting the crops in the following season.
3. Use of resistant cultivars: Use of resistant cultivars can help in reducing the risk of late blight. Hence, planting potato cultivars that are resistant or tolerant to late blight should be the preferred approach. This is because resistant cultivars can withstand the disease and produce a reasonable yield despite the late blight.
4. Fungicide application: Fungicides can be applied to control the late blight disease. However, farmers should note that overusing fungicides may lead to the emergence of fungicide-resistant strains of late blight. In addition, priority should be given to fungicides capable of controlling the disease without causing harm to human beings and the environment.
5. Cultural practices: Cultural practices, such as proper storage, planting time, and irrigation, can help minimize the risk of late blight. Late blight outbreak commonly occurs during wet and humid weather conditions. Hence, planting during the dry season when humidity is low could reduce the risk of an outbreak.
In conclusion, late blight is a disease that can be disastrous for potato crops. Nevertheless, with the right control measures, such as crop rotation, field sanitation, resistant cultivars, fungicide application, and cultural practices, farmers can minimize crop damage and increase potato yield and quality.