Fungicide sensitivity testing of British late potato blight strains suggests an emerging genotype is very aggressive and more difficult to control with several common fungicides.
The laboratory discovery prompted a warning against complacency when formulating future blight control strategies to help prevent the loss of other fungicides.
The AHDB commissioned work to test a range of fungicide groups active against potato disease phytophthora infestans, and was carried out by researcher Alison Lees at Dundee’s James Hutton Institute during late 2018.
Detached potato leaves from the Maris Piper variety were treated with five common fungicides, with different modes of action and at a range of concentrations, including fluopicolide, mandipropamid, propamocarb, cyazofamid and fluazinam.
Scottish Agronomy’s Eric Anderson told Farmers Weekly while the results should not cause alarm, it is a warning the potential for the development of fungicide sensitivity shifts in late blight should be taken more seriously than in the past.
