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This map displays primary areas of potato cultivation, based on data provided by FAO for the year 2003. Total area under cultivation was reported at 120,000 hectares, recently revised upward to 126,000 hectares.

No data are yet available regarding average yields at the sub-national level.  Some literature suggests that yields are generally highest in the Meru region, at the northeastern extreme of the range of potato cultivation.  National average potato yields for Kenya have been reported by FAO (June 2006) at 7.7 tons per hectare (T/HA), but this figure has fluctuated considerably over recent years, from over 9.5 T/HA to around 7.5 T/HA.

In Kenya’s equatorial latitudes, potato cultivation correlates strongly with latitude and rainfall, as described in the atlas Kenya chapter.

For further information on Potato Production click here  

Late blight occurrence and LB severity by major production area in the country. What crops were affected (tomato, potato, others)? Disease sources (seed, cull piles, volunteer plants, soil)?  

Sources of primary inoculum have not been identified. At present there is no evidence for potato seed borne infections. The incidence of tuber blight is low. In late blight survey reports, the spatial distribution of infected fields and plants is random suggesting that both the sources of inoculum and the dispersal of the disease are random (Olanya et al, 2001a).

 2. LB impact (foliar damage, yield losses, tuber rot occurrences)?

Yield losses have been reported to be about 40–50% (Njuguna et al, 1998).

 3. Fungicide use (amounts, types, etc.)?

Fungicide and variety studies in Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia suggest that the protectant fungicide, Dithane (mancozeb) can control late blight if applied on a scheduled basis. On-farm research indicates that three timely applications of a protectant or a protectant alternated with a systemic can give effective control Decision support systems to optimize fungicide treatments with variety resistance are underway (Ojiambo et al, 2001; Olanya et al, 2001a).

 4. Other LB control measures (resistant cultivars, forecast systems, none)?

 Moderately resistant cultivars Cruza 148 and Tigoni are cultivated.

 5. LB control effectiveness (fungicide or host resistance failures)?

6. Pathogen strains (mating type, fungicide resistance, virulence factors, etc)?

There is strong evidence that two separate, host adapted populations of Phytophthora infestans, belonging to the US-1 clonal lineage, attack potato and tomato in Kenya and Uganda (Erselius et al, 1999).

Phytophthora infestans isolates from potato (n = 20) and tomato (n = 22) collected in 1995 in Kenya and Uganda were compared by dilocus allozyme genotype, mtDNA, mating type and RFLP (probe RG57). The potato isolates belonged to US-1 clonal lineage and the tomato isolates were US 1.7, a variant of US-1 genotype. In 1997, the 39 isolates collected from potato in Kenya and Uganda and tested for dilocus allozyme genotype (Gpi), mtDNA haplotype and RFLP were similar to the potato isolates tested in 1995, indicating that the population in this host had not changed (Vega-Sanchez et al, 2001). A high level of metalaxyl resistance was found in these isolates — 86% resistant in Kenya and 59% in Uganda (Erselius et al, 1999).

7. Disease risks and/or major needs?

 8. Any publications on late blight in the country?  

El-Bedewy R, Olanya O M, Ewell P T, Lung’aho C, Ojiambo PS and Karinga J. 2001. Evaluation of potato germplasm (populations A & B) for resistance to late blight in Kenya. African Crop Science Journal 9:215–223.

Erselius L J, Vega-Sánchez M E, Rodriquez A M, Bastidas O, Hohl H, Ojiambo P S, Mukalazi J, Vermuelen T, Fry W E and Forbes G A. 1999. Host specificity of Phytophthora infestans on tomato and potato in Uganda and Kenya. pp 49–55 in: Impact on a changing world. International Potato Center Program Report, 1997–1998. International Potato Center (CIP), Lima, Peru.

Njuguna J G M, Odour G I, Njenga D N. 1998. Rate of adoption of new late blight resistant potato cultivars by farmers in Kiambu district. pp 196–202 in: Proceedings of the 2^nd Biennial Crop Protection Conference, KARI/NARL, Nairobi, Kenya.

Ojiambo P S, Namanda S, Olanya O M, El-Bedewy R, Hakiza J J,  Adipala E and Forbes G. 2001. Impact of fungicide application and late blight development of potato growth parameters and yield in the tropical highlands of Kenya and Uganda. African Crop Science Journal 9:225–233.

Ojiambo P S, Nyanapah J O, Lung’aho C, Karinga J K and Kidanemariam H M. 2000. Comparing different epidemiological models in field evaluations of selected genotypes from Solanum tubersosum CIP population A for resistance to Phytophthora infestans (Mont..) De Bary in Kenya. Euphytica 111:211–218.

Olanya O M, Adipala E, Hakiza J J, Kedera J C, Ojiambo P, Mukalazi J, Forbes G and Nelson R. 2001a. Epidemiology and population dynamics of Phytophthora infestans in Sub-Saharan Africa: Progress and constraints. African Crop Science Journal 9:185–193.

Olanya O M, El-Bedewy R, Ojiambo P S, Ewell P, Hakiza J J. 2001b. Relationships of fungicide application to late blight development and potato growth parameters in the tropical highlands of Uganda and Kenya. pp 77-86 in: Scientist and farmer: Partners in research for the 21st century. International Potato Center Program Report, 1999-2000. International Potato Center (CIP), Lima (Peru).

Schiessendoppler E, Molnar O. 2002 Characterization of Phytophthora infestans populations in sub-Saharan Africa as a basis for simulation modeling and integrated disease management (abs). pp 140 in: Lizárraga C (ed), Late blight: Managing the global threat. Proceedings of the Global Initiative on Late Blight Conference, Hamburg, Germany, 11–13 July 2002. International Potato Center, Lima, Peru.

Vega–Sánchez M E, L J Erselius, A M Rodriguez, O Bastidas. H R Hohl, P S Ojiambo, J Mukalazi, T Vermeulen, W E Fry and G Forbes. 2000. Host adaptation to potato and tomato within the US-1 clonal lineage of Phytophthora infestans in Uganda and Kenya. Plant Pathology 49:531–539.

9. Is tuber blight an increasing problem?

Tiber blight incidence is low. 

Comments, additions and corrections are very welcome. Please contact us at GILB(at)cgiar.org

Links to World Potato Atlas (WPA)

http://research.cip.cgiar.org/confluence/display/wpa/Kenya