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1. 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)? 

Data for 2002²

Late blight was observed very early in the growing season. It was remarkable that the first blight symptoms observed were stem lesions. There might be a correlation with the poor quality of the seed potatoes. Especially in the eastern and southern parts of Germany heavy rainfall was recorded which led to a high disease pressure in these regions.

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

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

Data for 2002²

On average 1–2 sprays more than in 2001 were needed to control blight due to an early start of the spraying schedules. In regions with a low disease pressure 3–6 sprays were sufficient to control blight. In regions with a high pressure 7–16 sprays were needed to control blight.

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

Decision Support Systems (DSSs), such as SIMPHYT, NegFry, Plant Plus and ProPhy (Gutsche, 1998; Hansen et al, 2001, 2002; Kleinhenz & Jörg, 2000, Nugteren. 1997)), PhytophthoraModell Weihenstephan (Hausladen & Habermeyer, 2001) and WWW.PHYTOPHTHORA.DE (Kleinhenz & Jörg, 2001) are under validation. Since February 2003, there is online monitoring for Germany that can be reached from Web-Blight (www.web-blight.net)

Resistant potato varieties cultivated: Agria, Albatros, Ampera, Anneli, Arnika, Artana, Astra, Aula, Bettina, Bolero, Bonaza, Cinja, Corvus, Donella, Felicitas, Franca, Gambria, Llona, Juliver, Juvena, Luna, Lyra, Miriam, Natalie, Nicola, Pamir, Panda, Pia, Planta, Rasant, Rebecca, Rosara, Roxy, Sanira, Satina, Sirius, Solara, Tomba, Tristan, Ulme, Vineta, Vitara

Source: Global Catalog of Late Blight Resistant Varieties: www.cipotato.org/gilb/Gilb_catalog/principal.htm)

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

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

In a study of 215 isolates collected during 1967–1999, two new mtDNA haplotypes of Ia and IIa were identified after 1984 as replacing the predominant old Ia — In the 1995–1999 isolates, only 0.6% (n=158) are the old 1a, all of which are mating type A1 and sensitive to metalaxyl. The new Ia and IIa haplotypes were found to be 75% and 60% A1, and 44% and 30% resistant to metalaxyl, respectively, and made up of a high proportion of complex physiological pathotypes/races (Rullich & Schöber-Butin, 2001).

Most of the isolates collected from tomato and potato in allotment gardens in southern Germany were found to be of the A1 mating type and of the A2 mtDNA haplotyping. AFLP fingerprinting analysis showed two main clusters, one of potato and one of tomato isolates. No specific cluster was found for allotment garden isolates respective to isolates from common fields (Möeller et al, 2002).

7. Disease risks and/or major needs?

8. Any publications on late blight in the country?  

Darsow, U. 1995. Using wild species in breeding of basic potato material with high resistance to late blight. pp 275–281 in: Dowley L J, Bannon E, Cooke L R, Keane T and O’Sullivan E (eds), Phytopthora infestans 150, Proceedings of EAPR-Pathology Section, September 1995 Dublin, Ireland. Boole Press, Ltd., Temple Bar in conjunction with Teagasc, Carlow. Ireland.

Gutsche V. 1998. Usage of model SIMPHYT in frame of the project PASO in Germany. pp 104–110 in: Schepers H and Bouma E (eds), Proceedings of the Workshop on the European network for development of an Integrated Control Strategy of potato late blight, 24–27 September 1997, Carlow Ireland, PAV-Report no. 3. Applied Research for Arable Farming and Field Production of Vegetables, Lelystad, Netherlands.

Hansen J G, Kleinhenz B, Jörg E, Wander J G N, Spits H G, Dowley L, Rauscher E, Michelante D, Dubois L and Steenblock T. 2002. Results of validation trials of Phytophthora DSSs in Europe, 2001. pp 231–242 in: Westerdijk C E and Schepers H T A M (eds), Proceedings of the Sixth Workshop of an European Network for development of an Integrated Control Strategy of potato late blight, 26–30, September 2001 , Edinburgh, Scotland, PPO-Special Report no. 8. Applied Plant Research BV, Wageningen, Netherlands.

Hansen J G, Kleinhenz and Jörg E. 2001. Results of validation trials of Phytophthora DSS in Europe in 2000. pp 23–38 in: Westerdijk K and Schepers H T A M (eds), Proceedings of the Workshop on the European network for development of an Integrated Control Strategy of potato late blight, 6–10 September 2000, Munich, Germany, PAV-Special Report no. 7. Applied Research for Arable Farming and Field Production of Vegetables, Lelystad, Netherlands.

Hausladen H and Habermeyer J. 2001. An Internet based DSS for the control of potato late blight Phytophthora Modell Weihenstephan. pp 55–62 in: Westerdijk K and Schepers H T A M (eds), Proceedings of the Workshop on the European network for development of an Integrated Control Strategy of potato late blight, 6–10 September 2000, Munich, Germany, PAV-Special Report no. 7. Applied Research for Arable Farming and Field Production of Vegetables, Lelystad, Netherlands.

Kleinhenz B. 1999. Validation of SIMPHYT I/II – A decision support system for late blight control in Germany. pp 115–128 in Schepers H and Bouma E (eds), Proceedings of the Workshop on the European network for development of an Integrated Control Strategy of potato late blight, 9–13 September 1998, Uppsala, Sweden, PAV-Report no. 5. Applied Research for Arable Farming and Field Production of Vegetables, Lelystad, Netherlands.

Kleinhenz B and Jörg E. 2001. WWW.Phytophthora.DE - An Internet – based warning service for potato late blight provided by the governmental crop protection services. pp 63–76 in: Westerdijk K and Schepers H T A M (eds), Proceedings of the Workshop on the European network for development of an Integrated Control Strategy of potato late blight, 6–10 September 2000, Munich, Germany, PAV-Special Report no. 7. Applied Research for Arable Farming and Field Production of Vegetables, Lelystad, Netherlands.

Kleinhenz B and Jörg E. 2000. Results of Validation Trials of Phytophthora DSS in Europe in 1999. pp 180–190 in: Schepers H (ed), Proceedings of the Workshop on the European network for development of an Integrated Control Strategy of potato late blight, 29 September – 2 October 1999, Oostende, Belgium, PAV-Special Report no. 6. Applied Research for Arable Farming and Field Production of Vegetables, Lelystad, Netherlands.

Moeller K, eller K, Flier W and Habermeyer J. 2002. Characterization of German isolates of Phytophthora infestans by mating type, fungicide resistance, mtDNA haplotyping and AFLP. pp. 137 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.

Möller K, Reents H J and Habermeyer J. 2000. Estimation of probable yield losses by Phytophthora infestans depending on nitrogen supply of organic maincrop potatoes. pp 201–211 in: Schepers H (ed), Proceedings of the Workshop on the European network for development of an Integrated Control Strategy of potato late blight, 29 September – 2 October 1999, Oostende, Belgium, PAV-Report no. 6. Applied Research for Arable Farming and Field Production of Vegetables, Lelystad, Netherlands

Nugteren. 1997. Prophy, a complete advice system for potato late blight control for on-farm use. Objectives, working and results in the Netherlands and Germany. pp 106–113 in: Bouma E and Schepers H T A M (eds), Proceedings of the Workshop on the European network for development of an Integrated Control Strategy of potato late blight, 30 September – 3 October 1996, Lelystad, The Netherlands, PAV-Report no. 1. Applied Research for Arable Farming and Field Production of Vegetables, Lelystad, Netherlands.

Rullich G and Schöber-Butin B. 2001. Old and new populations of Phytophthora infestans in Germany. pp 233–238 in: Westerdijk K and Schepers H T A M (eds), Proceedings of the Workshop on the European network for development of an Integrated Control Strategy of potato late blight, 6–10 September 2000, Munich, Germany, PAV-Special Report no. 7. Applied Research for Arable Farming and Field Production of Vegetables, Lelystad, Netherlands.

Schöber-Butin B. 1999. Phytophthora infestans: Pathotypes, mating types and fungicide resistance in Germany. pp 178–182 in Schepers H and Bouma E (eds), Proceedings of the Workshop on the European network for development of an Integrated Control Strategy of potato late blight, 9–13 September 1998, Uppsala, Sweden, PAV-Report no. 5. Applied Research for Arable Farming and Field Production of Vegetables, Lelystad, Netherlands.

Schober-Butin, B. Knapova, G. Knipfelberg, I. Niepold, F. 1995. Phytophthora infestans in Germany: Population dynamics and modern methods in diagnosis. pp 96–101 in: Dowley L J, Bannon E, Cooke L R, Keane T and O’Sullivan E (eds), Phytopthora infestans 150, Proceedings of EAPR-Pathology Section, September 1995 Dublin, Ireland. Boole Press, Ltd., Temple Bar in conjunction with Teagasc, Carlow. Ireland.

Wenz M, Roos H and Russell P E. 1995. Identification and detection of fungicide resistance by electrophoresis of Tattoo^® and Tattoo^®, new products with a new mode of action for systemic control of Phytophthora infestans. pp 375–376 in: Dowley L J, Bannon E, Cooke L R, Keane T and O’Sullivan E (eds), Phytopthora infestans 150, Proceedings of EAPR-Pathology Section, September 1995 Dublin, Ireland. Boole Press, Ltd., Temple Bar in conjunction with Teagasc, Carlow. Ireland.

9. Is tuber blight an increasing problem?

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

[2] Schepers, H T A M. 2003. The development and control of Phytophthora infestans in Europe in 2002. pp 9–22 in: Westerdijk C E and Schepers H T A M (eds), Proceedings of the Seventh Workshop of an European Network for development of an Integrated Control Strategy of potato late blight, 2–6, October 2002 , Pozan, Poland, PPO-Special Report no. 9. Applied Plant Research BV, Wageningen, Netherlands. Information regarding the late blight epidemic in 2002 in Germany provided by B. Kleinhenz.