Whats the flap about Brown Rot of potatoes?
This is a destructive bacterial rot disease of potatoes that is widespread in the rest of the world except for North America. This is a quarantinable disease just like Potato Cyst Nematodes (2 kinds) and Potato Wart. The brown rot bacterium is classified as Ralstonia solonacearum (Pseudomonas solonacearum). This brown rot bacteria exists in many race types, i.e. Race 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 and each race has what we refer to as specific biovars (i.e. biological variants). This brown rot bacterium and its biovars can attack over 200 plant species in 50 families – a very broad host range. In nature, in one of the dozens of countries where this disease exists, potatoes are attacked by Race 1 (biovars 1, 3 and 4) and Race 3 (biovar 2). Race 1 and it’s biovars is subtropical (biovars 1, 3 and 4) and will not survive in Canada. Race 3 biovar 2 is typically found on potatoes but it can also infect Pelargonium (geranium) eggplant, tomato and pepper. Race 3 widespread in tropical countries can apparen
