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Early Blight: A Serious Threat to Older Plants
Farmer's Weekly
|May 06, 2022
This fungal disease damages potato plants later in their growth phase. It can destroy an entire crop if not treated in time, says Bill Kerr.
Early blight (Alternaria solani) is potentially a highly destructive fungal disease of potatoes and other members of the Solanaceae family. It’s often referred to as ‘target spot‘, as the lesions of about 10mm in diameter display concentric rings that resemble a target. This also makes the disease easy to identify.
Early blight does not develop as rapidly as late blight (Phytophthora infestans), which can destroy a crop in a very short period (see FW, 22 & 29 April 2022).
BEWARE OF WET CONDITIONS
Alternaria usually starts in patches on older leaves. The severity depends on how often the leaves are wetted from rain, irrigation or dew. Young plants are substantially more resistant than older ones, and the risk of infection increases with age.
This story is from the May 06, 2022 edition of Farmer's Weekly.
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