Potato Diseases

Potato diseases are one of the biggest risks for farmers: they reduce yields, degrade tuber quality and (if left unchecked) can spread rapidly through seed, soil and equipment. This section describes the most common diseases, their symptoms, differences, treatments and effective preventive measures — with special attention paid to the impact of certified seed potatoes on disease prevention and seed potato trade.

Common potato diseases and how to recognize them

Late blight (Phytophthora infestans)
- Symptoms: dark irregular spots on leaves, white sporulation underside, brown watery patches in tubers
- Prevention: plant resistant varieties, certified seed, fungicide programs, good crop hygiene
Blackleg / Soft rot (Pectobacterium, Dickeya)
- Symptoms: blackening of stems, wilting foliage, tubers soft and rotting
- Management: use healthy seed, avoid damaging tubers, ensure proper drainage and drying
Viral diseases (e.g. PVY, PLRV)
- Symptoms: leaf mosaic, stunted growth, small or malformed tubers
- Prevention: control aphids, renew seed periodically, use virus-free certified seed
Dry rot (Fusarium spp.)
- Symptoms: dry, sunken lesions on tubers, internal browning
- Prevention: avoid tuber injury, store in dry, ventilated conditions
Common scab (Streptomyces scabies)
- Symptoms: corky, raised spots on tuber surface
- Prevention: maintain soil pH ~5.0–5.2, avoid excessive soil dryness, use healthy seed

Practical tips for growers: disease prevention

Always use certified seed potatoes
Rotate crops – avoid planting potatoes on the same land for 3–4 years
Choose disease-resistant varieties
Improve soil drainage and structure
Control insect vectors like aphids
Minimize mechanical damage during harvest
Screen and discard diseased tubers before storage
Monitor weather conditions favorable for disease
Use integrated disease management (fungicides + cultural practices)
Renew your seed lot often from trusted suppliers

Benefits of Potato Disease Prevention

Investing in quality, certified seed potatoes pays off not only with better yields, but also with lower costs for disease control. Healthy seeds lead to more stable growth, better tuber shape and higher production quality.

Why is it important to use certified seed potatoes?

One of the main steps in preventing diseases is to choose certified seed potatoes. Certified seed is tested according to the standards of the European Union and the Lithuanian Ministry of Agriculture, ensuring that it is free from dangerous viruses, bacteria and fungal infections.

By using certified seeds from reliable suppliers such as bulviuseklos.lt, the farmer reduces the risk of introducing dangerous pathogens into his field, which can remain in the soil for several years.