Oospores of Phytophthora infestans in soil provide an important new source of primary inoculum in Finland

Summary

There have been numerous indications since the 1990s that oospore-derived primary infections play an increasing role in the epidemiology of potato late blight. The aim of this study was to verify that oosporederived epidemics actually occur in Finland. For this purpose, 20 suspected foci of oospore-derived potato late blight were scouted in 2000–2002. All of these were located in fi elds in which late blight had been observed in at least one of the four previous years. Primary symptoms in these foci occurred always on the lowest leaves near or touching the ground. Leafl ets typically showing numerous primary infections or lesions were in direct contact with the soil. In the former, oospores were observed after incubation. Soil samples from two experimental fi elds, marked by severe epidemics in most years during the last decade, caused infections in a bioassay. Both mating types were on every occasion present in groups of single lesion isolates collected from foci and the bioassay. Oospores survived over the winter, as shown by soil samples taken during the spring that infected potato leafl ets in the bioassay. The results presented indicate that oospore-derived epidemics occur in Finland. This paper also discusses the role of oospores in causing blight epidemics in Finland compared to more southern countries.