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Bacterial wilt is caused by a soil-borne bacterium named Ralstonia solanacearum (formerly known as Pseudomonas
solanacearum). Potato wilt bacterium mainly inhabits the roots, and enters the root system at points of injury caused by
farm tools or equipment and soil pests.
On potato, bacterial wilt is also known as:
brown rot
southern wilt
sore eye
jammy eye.
Bacterial wilt is a serious problem in many developing countries in the tropical and subtropical zones of the world. It has
been recorded in all Australian states except Tasmania.
Host plants
Bacterial wilt attacks more than 200 species. Economically important hosts include:
banana
beans
eggplant
peanut
pepper
potato
tobacco
tomato.
Two common weed hosts that are attacked by the disease are:
nightshade
thorn apple.
Environmental conditions
Bacterial wilt of potato is generally favoured by temperatures between 25°C and 37°C. It usually doesn't cause problems in
areas where mean soil temperature is below 15°C.
Under conditions of optimum temperature, infection is favoured by wetness of soil. Once infection has occurred, symptoms
will often be more severe with hot and dry conditions, which hastens wilting.
Spread of disease
The bacteria is spread by:
irrigation water and flood waters
contaminated soil
nematodes
infected equipment (seed-cutters, or second-hand bags or half-tonne bins)
seed dissemination.
Infected seed is an important method of dissemination, both locally and over considerable distances. Self-sown potatoes
are extremely difficult to eradicate. If a paddock is infected, the disease can remain in it for 5 or 6 years after the initial
outbreak.
Slightly infected tubers that show no visible symptoms pose more of a threat than heavily infected tubers. This is because
heavily infected tubers usually rot away and contaminate only the land in which they're grown.
Growers must be aware of these risks and take precautionary measures to prevent the disease and control the spread.
Survival of disease
The wilt bacterium is able to survive for periods up to 2 to 3 years in bare fallow soils, and for longer periods in soils cropped
to non-solanaceous crops.
Photo credits
Figure 1 photo courtesy of CGIAR .
References
Compendium of Potato Diseases (2001) ed. by Stevenson, W.R. and et al, American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN,
USA.
Mulder, A. and Trukensteen, L. J. (2005) Potato diseases, 2508 AC Den Haag The Netherlands.
Potato Health management (2008) ed. by Johnson, D.A. American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN, USA.