South Africa

Powdery scab situation

It is quite unique as the disease occurs in regions where the average temperature is much higher than the 18 degrees optimalfor the pathogen, mainly in the Sandveld region (Western Cape). The clue is irrigation: Due to cyclic cooling and warming up of the soil and enough water supply the zoospores can emerge and swinn to find host tissue to be infected. This is a good model for regions where raising temperatures caused by global warming force the farmers to increase irrigation and thus increase the risk for powdery scab.

Research

The Potato Pathology Programme is ongoing. Jacquie van der Waals was the leader of Spongospora research at the University of Pretoria supervising may PhD students and publishing papers. Unfortunately she left the University a few years ago and nobody continued her work.

Please contact the person below if you want more information.



Contact address:

Elsie Cruywagen
Agricultural Research Council  South Africa
Pretoria
South Africa


e-mail:

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Last update: January, 2025