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Describe the overall disease situation

Madagascar presents a diversified climate from semi-arid to wet. It exists two seasons: the rainy season (end October to mid April) and the dry season (April to October). The rainfall varies according to the areas. The potato production is focused in the highlands where the conditions are the following:

The late blight (Phytophtora infestans) appears when the conditions for its development are favourable. During the rainy season, the disease propagation takes place and the susceptible varieties undergo this attack. The dry season in the eastern area of the highlands where the drizzle is abundant (period May to August) is also appear conditions of late blight but its attack is low.

FIFAMANOR has released some varieties, which are moderately resistant to late blight, and this result decreases the propagation of disease. For this, people do not apply fungicide except when the attack is very high.

2. Estimate crop losses

-          15% with moderately susceptible varieties (favourable conditions)

-          < 10% : moderately resistant

3. Fungicides currently being used against late blight in order of priority

-          mancozeb (dithane M45) : 95%

-          ridomil (very expensive and farmers do not use it)

4. Physiological races recorded

Not identified

5. Mating types

No data

6. Metalaxyl resistance situation

Not used in large scale

7. Level of disease forecasting use

No data

8. Molecular markers being employed for pathogen population characterization

No data

9. Studies on comparative aggressiveness of new vs old population done

No data

10. Relative importance of tuber blight

-          occurrence: in summer (harvest in period of rain)

                          in dry season (if harvest is late an conicide with rainy season)

-          losses: loss due to foliage attack (<10%)

11. Potato late blight research

• Testing the performance of potato resistant to late blight from CIP

-          2004-2005: on station experiment (rainy season)

-          2005: on-farm trial (rainy season)

• Testing of fungicides : Tatto, Exp, ridomil, Fenomen, Tridex and Dithane M45 in station conditions from 1998 to 2000

12. Any other information

Disease risk and/or major seeds

Priority to late blight resistant varieties (high cost of fungicides)

13. Publication on late blight

-          RANDRIANAIVOARIVONY Jean Marc et RANDRIANTSALAMA Rodin. 2001. Rapport des essais sur la comparaison des deux fongicides : EXP 108 et Tridex (mancozèbe) en saison pluviale 2001 en station Mimosa. 3 pages

-          RANDRIANAIVOARIVONY Jean Marc et RANDRIANTSALAMA Rodin. 2002. Rapport des essais sur la comparaison des deux fongicides : Fenomen et Tridex (mancozèbe) en saison pluviale 2002 en station Mimosa. 4 pages

-          RANDRIANAIVOARIVONY Jean Marc et RANDRIANTSALAMA Rodin. 2005. Rapport d’évaluation des clones de pomme de terre en provenance de CIP en saison pluviale 2004/2005. 3 pages

Other publications are available in FOFIFA and in Universities but they are not available in my Institute.

1. Varieties/landraces used in the country/ Area estimation

 Table 1: Area estimation of potato varieties/landraces in Madagascar

Table 2: Characteristics of Potato Varieties in Madagascar

The clones tested in Madagascar had been from CIP Nairobi Kenya or Lima Peru since 1987 till now.

15. The people to be contacted in Madagascar are: 

16. E-mail List:

Contact: RANDRIANAIVOARIVONY, Jean Marc (FIFAMANOR). E-mail: jmarc_randrianaivoarivony(at)yahoo.fr