Seed tuber treatment for the control of black scurf disease of potatoes

Abstract

Experiments were conducted in 1973 and 1974 under field conditions to evaluate the effectiveness of several fungicides, applied as seed tuber dust treatments, on the development of potato black scurf disease, caused by Rhizoctonia solani Kuehn, as measured by reduction in stem infections and tuber yield increases. Benomyl 2.5% active ingredient dust was the most consistent treatment; it significantly reduced rhizoctonia stem infections and also produced appreciably greater tuber yields than untreated seed tubers. In some trials, however, the yield increases were not readily attributable to Rhizoctonia control.