Examples of alien pathogens in Finnish potato production - their introduction, establishment and consequences

Abstract

Most pathogens on potato have been imported into Finland via contaminated seed more than hundred years ago. The history of migration and the consequences for potato production of potato wart, blackleg and soft rot, Potato mop-top virus (PMTV) and its vector powdery scab are reviewed as examples of economically important and biologically different potato pathogens. Potato wart spread alarmingly during 1920-1960. Plant quarantine acts and the use of resistant cultivars were successful in eradicating the disease. The pathogens causing blackleg and soft rot increased rapidly in 1960-1970. Development of seed certification schemes after the end of the 1970s decreased disease incidence and made the disease insignificant other than for seed potato production. Introduction of new strains of blackleg bacteria in 2003 caused the disease again to become a considerable threat to potato production. PMTV was imported into Finland in the 1970s where it spread rapidly, especially in starch potato production. Currently it is common in all potato production except that of seed potato. The disease cannot be eradicated but contamination of clean fields can be prevented. New diseases can spread to Finland in future but population changes of existing pathogens have recently caused more problems than species completely new to Finland.;

Impacts of climate change on plant diseases—opinions and trends

“…Introductions of novel plant pathogens have already occurred in many regions (Brown and Hovmøller 2002;Dehnen-Schmutz et al 2010;Stenlid et al 2011; Fig. 2), but climate changes are likely to often facilitate their further establishment and spread (Anderson et al 2004;Shaw 2009;Hannukkala 2011). There is a consensus that prediction and management of climate change effects on plant health are complicated by interactions between globalization, shifts in climate, pollution and increasing numbers of invasive plants, pests and pathogens (Mistretta 2002;DesprezLoustau et al 2007a;Danon et al 2011;Fig.…”

Climate change and its effects on agricultural production in Finland – research efforts during the past 50 years

“…The results of different agriculture-related projects in ISTO pointed to the need to prepare Finnish agriculture for new opportunities for production (ILMASOPU: Peltonen-Sainio et al 2009a, 2009b, 2011a, 2011b, but also for new pests, pathogens and weeds (TUPOLEV: Latvala-Kilby et al 2009, Lehtinen et al 2009, Hannukkala 2011, Heikkilä 2011, Hyvönen 2011, Hyvönen and Jalli 2011, Lemmetty et al 2011, Lilja et al 2011, Vänninen et al 2011, Hyvönen and Ramula 2014. A need for a new level of resilience of farms, crops and cropping systems to meet the increasing frequency of extreme events, such as long periods of hot weather or heavy rains, was identified (ADACAPA: Hakala et al 2012b, Kahiluoto et al 2014.…”