Transmission of Helminthosporium solani from potato seed tubers and effects of soil conditions, seed inoculum and seed physiology on silver scurf disease.

The transmission of silver scurf (Helminthosporium solani) disease of potatoes was examined in field experiments at Cambridge University Farm in 1988-90. Treatment factors examined were seed size, seed age, seed incubation, soil moisture regime and planting date. A laboratory experiment investigated the viability of conidia of Helminthosporium in soil stored under different conditions. Incubation of seed at high humidity before planting increased sporulation of Helminthosporium on seed tubers after planting and fewer conidia were produced from small seed than from larger seed. Delay in planting caused more rapid growth of Helminthosporium on seed tubers after planting. Early planting and late harvesting increased the severity of silver scurf on progeny tubers. Severity of silver scurf was also increased by ageing seed and by incubating seed. Weight loss of potato tubers during storage tended to be greater from treatments with most severe silver scurf in all years but a significant linear regression of weight loss on silver scurf severity was found in only one year out of three from a late harvest. The viability of conidia added to soil was found to decrease rapidly so that by 10 weeks after addition, < 1% of conidia were apparently viable