• NAME : KAYINAT GUL AWAN(326)

MARRIYUM BIBI(202)
LAIBA ZEB(290)
• DEPARTMENT : BS.BOTANY (VIII)
• PRESENTATION TOPIC:
“ FUNGAL DISEASES OF POTATO PLANT”
 INTRODUCTION:-
• Potato, (Solanum tuberosum), annual plant in the nightshade family (
Solanaceae), grown for its starchy edible tubers.
• The potato is native to the Peruvian-Bolivian Andes and is one of the
world’s main food crops.
• Potatoes are frequently served whole or mashed as a cooked vegetable
 and are also ground into potato flour, used in baking and as a thickener
for sauces.
• The tubers are highly digestible and supply vitamin C, protein, thiamin,
and niacin
 DOMESTICATION AND HISTORY:-

• Potatoes are thought to have been independently domesticated several times and were largely cultivated
 in South America by the Incas as early as 1,800 years ago.
• Encountered by the invading Spaniards, potatoes were introduced into Europe during the second half of
the 16th century.
• By the end of the 17th century the plant was a major crop in Ireland, and by the end of the 18th century
it was a major crop in continental Europe, particularly Germany, and in the west of England.
• It continued to spread, in both Western and Eastern hemispheres, during the first four decades of the 19th
century, and the Irish economy itself became dependent upon the potato. However, the disastrous failures
of the Irish crops in the mid-19th century (especially in 1846 and 1848), because of late blight
 (Phytophthora infestans), and the resulting Irish Potato Famine generated a more-cautious attitude
toward dependence on the plant.
 PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION :-
• The potato is one of some 150 tuber-bearing
species of the genus Solanum. (a tuber is the
swollen end of an underground stem).

1. LEAVES:
The compound leaves are spirally arranged; each
leaf is 20–30 cm (about 8–12 inches) long and
consists of a terminal leaflet and two to four pairs of
leaflets.
2. FLOWER:
• The white, lavender, or purple flowers have
five fused petals and yellow stamens.
• Potato plants produce flowers during the
end of their growing season.
• These turn into the true fruit of the plant.

3. FRUIT:
The fruit is a small poisonous berry with
numerous seeds.
4. STEM:
• The stems extend underground into structures called stolons. The
ends of the stolons may enlarge greatly to form a few to more than
20 tubers.
• The skin varies in colour from brownish white to deep purple; the
starchy flesh normally ranges in colour from white to yellow, but it
too may be purple.

5. BUDS:
• The tubers bear spirally arranged buds (eyes) in the axils of aborted
leaves, of which scars remain. The buds sprout to form clones of the
parent plant, allowing growers to vegetatively propagate desired
characteristics. Indeed, vegetative reproduction is always used
commercially, though the resulting decrease in genetic diversity has
made the popular varieties more vulnerable to pests and diseases.
 FUNGAL DISEASES OF POTATO:-

• Major fungal diseases such as late blight, early blight, black scurf, fusarial
wilt/dry rot, wart, powdery scab, charcoal rot cause considerable loss to potato
production in field and otherwise.
• Sunken and often shriveled areas on the surface of infected tubers are the most
obvious symptom.
• When tubers are cut through the affected areas, tissues appear brown and collapsed,
often with a white, pinkish, or yellow fungal growth, which may extend into the
center of the tuber.
 1.CHARCOAL ROT:-

INTRODUCTION:
•Potatoes are an important economic crop and one which is prey to several insect and
disease problems.
• Charcoal rot is one that affects the tubers and the lower stems.
•It is a fungal disease that also affects over 500 other plants; beans, corn, and cabbage
among them. In potatoes, charcoal rot causes tubers that are inedible and can’t even be
used for seed.
•In many crops, charcoal rot will diminish yield and cause evident damage to stems.
• In potatoes, the first signs are in the leaves, which wilt and turn yellow. Next infected
are the roots and then the tubers. By the time the stem develops tiny black, ashy fungal
structures, the plant is too diseased to save.
 SYSTEMATIC POSITION:

• Kingdom :: Mycota
• Division :: Ascomycota
• Class :: Dothideomycetes
• Order :: Botryosphaeriales
• Family :: Botryosphaeriaceae
• Genus :: Macrophomina
• Species :: phaseolina
  SYMPTOMS:
• Charcoal rot symptoms appear during hot weather when foliage of affected plants wilts and turns
yellow, symptoms that may be confused with Verticillium wilt or bacterial early dying.
• Wilting caused by Macrophomina usually develops quickly.
• Infected stems develop a soft, dark rot similar to blackleg.
• Affected stems take on a dusty black appearance when small, black fungal structures
(microsclerotia) are formed. This "charcoal dust" symptom, sometimes called ashy stem blight,
helps distinguish charcoal rot from other stem rot diseases.
• Tubers can be infected by Macrophomina before harvest. Infections occur around eyes, in
lenticels that are enlarged because of high soil moisture, and where the stolon attaches. Shallow,
water-soaked lesions develop. Tuber tissue within these lesions turns gray, and eventually the
lesion tissue becomes filled with black fungal mycelium. If tuber infections develop quickly,
much of the tuber tissue may develop a soft rot that turns from white to pink and then black,
similar to pink rot, when diseased tubers are cut open.
  CONTROL OF CHORCOAL ROT:
• Charcoal rot in potato plants develops from Macrophomia phaseolina.
• This is a soil-borne fungus that overwinters in soil and in plant debris. It is most prevalent
in periods of hot, dry weather.
• Soil types that favor development of potato charcoal rot are sandy or gritty on hills or
compacted zones. These sites tend to dry out quickly and encourage development of the
disease.
• The fungus also can be spread through infected seed. There are no resistant cultivars, so
certified disease free seed potatoes are essential to controlling charcoal rot in potato plants.
Stress also encourages disease formation.
• Often, plants will show no signs until the end of the season when temperatures
are getting hotter and after flowering.
• It is not only important to select disease free seed potatoes or plants but to rotate
the crop every two years to a non-favored plant such as wheat. Allow plenty of
circulation between plants to prevent crowding and the stress associated with
such growing conditions.
• Maintain average soil moisture. Avoid tilling and use an organic mulch around
potatoes to conserve moisture. Provide adequate phosphorus and potassium as
well as nitrogen to encourage plant growth and overall health. Since there are no
fungicides registered for use against potatoes with charcoal rot, never save tubers
from an infected crop for next year’s seed.
 LIFE CYCLE:
 2.LATE BLIGHT OF POTATO:-
• DESCRIPTION:
• This disease caused by fungus called Phytophthora infestans.
• The disease may attack almost anytime after the crop has put up a fairly good
foliage.
• Initially the lower leaves infected.

• SYMPTOMS:
• Leaves, stems and tubers.
• Water soaked spots appear on leaves ,turn purple brown and finally black colour.
• White growth develops on under surface.
• Stem breaks at these points and the plant topples.
• IN TUBERS-purplish brown spots and spread to
entire surface.
• Tuber show rusty brown necrosis spreading from
surface to the centre.
• Disease appear at flowering or any stage.
• Water soaked, light yellow/ light green spots.
• On lower leaves- brownish black lesion.
• Leaf blighted.
SYSTEMATIC POSITION:
• Kingdom :: Mycota
• Division :: Eumycota
• Sub-division :: Mastigomycotina
• Class :: Oomycetes
• Order :: Pernosporales
• Family :: Pythiaceae
• Genus :: Phytophthora
• Specie :: infestans
 MODE OF SPREAD AND
SURVIVAL:

• Infected tubers and infected soil – source of

primary infection.
• Survival of fungus in fruiting stage or as
dormant mycelium in the soil.
• Presisting of perennial mycelium in affected
tubers from the field,stored and used as seed in
next season.
LIFE CYCLE :
 3.EARLY BLIGHT OF POTATO:-

Early blight of potato is caused by the fungal pathogen Alternaria solani.

The disease affects leaves, stems and tubers and can reduce yield, tuber size,
storability of tubers, quality of fresh-market and processing tubers and marketability
of the crop.

The disease first develops on mature and senescing foliage, and early maturing
cultivars are the most susceptible.
Potato is the primary host, but the disease also can be severe on tomatoes, and occur
on other solanaceous plants such as hairy nightshade.
 SYSTEMATIC POSITION:

• Kingdom :: Mycota
• Division :: Eumycota
• Sub-division :: Deutromycotina
• Class :: Hypomycetes
• Order :: Hypomycetales
• Family :: Dematiaceae
• Genus :: Alternaria
• Specie :: solani
 SYMPTOMS:
• The first symptoms of early blight appear as small,
circular or irregular, dark-brown to black spots on the
older (lower) leaves .

• These spots enlarge up to 3/8 inch in diameter and

gradually may become angular-shaped.

• Later in the growing season, numerous lesions may

appear on the upper leaves, and leaves may drop as
the infection becomes more severe.

• Premature leaf senescence, reduced yield, and low

dry matter content likely will result from severe foliar
infection during the tuber bulking stage.
• Symptoms of early blight infection on tubers appear as
dark and sunken lesions on the surface.
• Tuber lesions may be circular or irregular in shape and
can be surrounded by a raised dark-brown border.
LIFE CYCLE:
 4. FUSARIUM DRY ROT OF POTATOES:

• INTRODUCTION:
• Fusarium dry rot is caused by a number of Fusarium species but is
generally associated with Fusarium sambucinum, F. solani, F.
culmorum and F. avenaceum.
• Fusarium dry rot is both seed and soil-borne and is present in most
potato growing areas. Spread is associated with damage through
seed cutting, grading or harvesting. Wounds created during these
processes allow the Fusarium fungi to enter the tuber and spread .
SYSTEMATIC POSITION:

• Kingdom :: Mycota
• Division :: Ascomycota
• Class :: Sordariomycetes
• Order :: Hypocoreales
• Family :: Nectriaceae
• Genus :: Fusarium
 SYMPTOMS:
• Fusarium dry rot is characterized by an internal light to dark brown rot of
potato tuber and it is usually dry.
• Fusarium dry rot is both seed and soil-borne and is present in most potato
growing areas.
• Spread is associated with damage through seed cutting, grading or harvesting.
• Wounds created during these processes allow the Fusarium fungi to enter the
tuber and spread.
• Temperatures of 15 to 20°C and high relative humidity aid the growth of
fusarium dry rot. Lower temperatures and humidity retard the fungus but dry
rot development continues even at the lowest storage temperatures (4°C).
• Fusarium species can survive in the soil for a long time as either survival
spores or on decaying plant material. Untreated wounds or cut seed are
susceptible to soil-borne infection. Soil attached to tubers at harvest will
generally contain spores that can lead to infection during storage.
LIFE CYCLE:
 5.BLACK SCURF DISEASE:

• INTRODUCTION:
• Rhizoctonia solani is a fungus that attacks tubers, underground stems, and
stolons of potato plants. Although it probably occurs wherever potatoes are
grown, it causes economically significant damage only in cool, wet soils.
• Black scurf is a fungal disease that causes black patches on the surface of
tubers that can be rubbed off.
• Although unsightly it is not destructive, but infected seed potatoes can lead to
plants with stem cankers.
SYSTEMATIC POSITION:

• Kingdom :: Mycota
• Division :: Basidiomycota
• Class :: Agricomycetes
• Order :: Cantharellales
• Family :: Ceratobasidiaceae
• Genus :: Rhizoctonia
• Species :: solani
 SYMPTOMS:
• The phase of the disease called black scurf is common on tubers
produced commercially and in home gardens.
• The irregular, black to brown hard masses on the surface of the tuber are
sclerotia. 
• Although these structures adhere tightly to the tuber skin, they are
superficial and do not cause damage, even in storage.
• Black scurf is the most noticeable sign of Rhizoctonia. But the most
damaging phase of the disease occurs underground and often goes
unnoticed. The fungus attacks underground sprouts before they emerge
from the soil. Stolons that grow later in the season can also be attacked .
• The damage varies. The fungal lesion, or canker, can be limited to a
superficial brown area that has no discernible effect on plant growth.
Severe lesions are large and sunken, as well as necrotic.
LIFE CYCLE: