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Epidemiology, autecology and control of Spongospora subterranea, cause of potato powdery scab
Summary
This project, which was jointly funded by the AHDB Potatoes and SEERAD, aimed to provide a better understanding of the epidemiology of powdery scab. A range of chemical, biological and cultural treatments were evaluated for their effectiveness against the pathogen.
The single most effective control measure was varietal resistance.
Fluazinam incorporated into soil was the most effective chemical control option. A specific off-label approval for the use of Shirlan on seed crops to control powdery scab was granted in Spring 2006.
The molecular diagnostic methods developed in the project were used in the related research projects investigating the use of DNA-based diagnostics to improve disease risk assessment.