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International Society for Infectious Diseases <http://www.isid.org>
Date: January 17, 2008
Source: Pacific Magazine [edited]
<http://www.pacificmagazine.net/news/2008/01/17/17m-potato-industry-on-rebound>
Papua New Guinea's (PNG) K 50 million [USD 17 million] potato
industry is expected to bounce back this year [2008] after it
was hit by the potato late blight disease (PLB). The PNG
government body Fresh Produce Development Agency [FPDA] is
forecasting a full recovery of the industry this year after the
disease wiped out most of the crop's seed base in PNG's
Highlands region since its discovery in Enga province in 2003.
The agency said a quick intervention program put in place with
the support of partner agencies National Agricultural Research
Institute and National Agriculture Quarantine Inspection
Authority, fresh food and agriculture-oriented companies Alele,
Chemica and Farmset, and donors NZAID and AusAID ensured the
industry did not face total ruin.
Upon its discovery in Enga and its spread to the Western
Highlands, Southern Highlands, Simbu, and Eastern Highlands
between February and April last year [2007], the agency decided
to divert all its resources to the eradication of the disease.
"FPDA management committed the organization to fight the disease
by redirecting funds," said FPDA Manager (production and supply
division) Robert Lutulele. He added that the agency's elite
potato seed production program had enabled over 100 000
households in the PNG Highlands to grow the crop before the
outbreak of the disease.
Potato prices in PNG supermarkets reached a high of K 10 [USD
3.34] per kilogram but have dropped to K 5 [USD 1.67] per
kilogram. While the disease nearly destroyed the industry,
Lutulele said the outbreak enabled the agency to gain experience
on how to combat future threats. "FPDA has gained a wealth of
experience from this problem and is now consolidating the local
production base and systems to strengthen the industry from
succumbing to adverse biophysical factors in future," he added.
The agency's seed program currently covers over 20 certified
seed growers living in the Southern, Western and Eastern
Highlands provinces, unlike the pre-PLB period when it had 80
seed growers. Lutulele is adamant the PNG potato industry will
return to its "glory days" prior to the PLB outbreak and could
surpass its production targets in 2010. "FPDA is committed as
ever to bringing back the industry because it serves many rural
farmers,"
he said.
[byline: Alexander Rheeney, Port Moresby]
--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
[Potato late blight is caused by the fungus _Phytophthora
infestans_, which can also infect other solanaceous crops such
as tomato or eggplant. It is one of the most important potato
diseases worldwide, with reported yield losses of up to 75 per
cent. It affects leaves as well as tubers and is favoured by
cool, moist conditions. The fungus is spread by plant material
(including seed tubers), wind and water, and solanaceous weeds
can serve as pathogen reservoirs. Other fungi and bacteria often
invade blight-infected tubers resulting in total tuber
breakdown.
Worldwide, considerable variation in aggressiveness between
different isolates of _P. infestans_ has been observed. A severe
form of PLB was responsible for the Irish potato famine in the
late 1840s. PLB is a concern in many countries because new and
even more virulent strains continue to emerge. Some of these can
destroy a potato plant in a matter of hours and a complete crop
within days. There are 2 mating types of the fungus, A1 and A2.
Where both are present, reproduction occurs sexually as well as
asexually, increasing the chances of strains with higher
fungicide resistance and increased yield losses to evolve.
A1 has spread worldwide; A2 is currently present in northern
Europe, northern and Central America, and parts of Asia.
Disease management includes preventative fungicide treatments of
seed tubers as well as fungicide sprays of crops. PLB-resistant
potato varieties are available, and more are being developed for
use in specific areas. A lack of adequate seed tuber treatments
has been responsible for a number of outbreaks, especially in
developing countries, and may also have triggered the current
epidemic in PNG.
Fungi of the genus _Phytophthora_ (ancient Greek: "plant
destroyer") are found worldwide, and many species belong to the
most aggressive and most important plant pathogens. The fungi
are associated with serious blight and rotting disease in a
range of crops; for example: _P. palmivora_ (more than 150
tropical host species; budrot of palms, cocoa black pod); _P.
capsici_ (more than 50 host species including cucurbit and
solanaceous vegetable crops); _P. megakarya_ (cocoa black pod);
_P. sojae_ (root and stem rot, soybean) _P. nicotianae_ and _P.
citrophthora_ (citrus root rot); _P. fragariae_ (wilt and root
rot of berry crops). _P. cinnamomi_ has caused immeasurable
damage to native vegetation, natural environments and habitats
in Australia. _P. kernoviae_ and _P. ramorum_ are considered
serious pathogens of native trees and shrubs and introduced
ornamentals in Europe.
Synergistic interactions with climatic extremes are considered a
major cause for general decline of forests.
Maps of Papua New Guinea:
<http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/australia/papua_newguinea_pol89.jpg>
and <http://healthmap.org/promed?v=-6.5,145.2,5>
Pictures
PLB tuber symptoms:
<http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/2007/01/070102132649.jpg>
PLB leaf symptoms:
<http://www-biol.paisley.ac.uk/bioref/Chromista/potato_blight.jpg>
Links:
Disease information, history, and background:
<http://www.apsnet.org/online/feature/lateblit/>,
and <http://www.olympusmicro.com/micd/galleries/brightfield/potatoblight.html>
Management of potato diseases including early and late blights:
<http://archives.eppo.org/EPPOStandards/PP2_GPP/pp2-02-e.doc>
Late blight information and resources via:
<http://www.potato.org.uk/department/knowledge_transfer/fight_against_blight/advice_blight.html>
_P. infestans_ taxonomy:
<http://www.indexfungorum.org/Names/NamesRecord.asp?RecordID=232148>
Global Initiative on Late Blight:
<http://gilb.cip.cgiar.org/>
Impact of _Phytophthora_ species:
<http://www.baumkrankheiten.com/downloads/phytophthora-importance.pdf>
_Phytophthora_ taxonomy and species list:
<http://www.indexfungorum.org/Names/names.asp?strGenus=Phytophthora>
- Mod.DHA]
[see also in
the
archive:
Fungal diseases, potato - Bangladesh 20080107.0091
2007
---
Late blight, potato - India (02): (Punjab, W Bengal)
20071221.4099 Late blight, potato - UK: new strains
20071207.3939 Late blight, potato - India: (Punjab), alert
20071116.3715 Fungal diseases, vegetable crops - Canada:
cucumber, potato 20070730.2442 Late blight, potato & vegetable
fungal diseases - Europe 20070708.2174 Late blight, potato -
India, UK 20070509.1491
2006
---
Late blight, potato - India (Kashmir) 20060424.1200 Late blight,
potato - USA (AK), Bangladesh 20060324.0911
2003
---
Late blight, potato - Papua New Guinea 20030306.0554
2002
---
Potato late blight, potato - Canada (Newfoundland) 20020818.5091
2001
---
Phytophthora infestans, potato late blight - Russia
20010620.1177 2000
---
Potato late blight, global research efforts 20001031.1903 Potato
late blight: global initiative 20000516.0765
1996
---
Potato late blight: global threat 19960617.1123] |
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