Wart Disease
Synchytrium endobioticum
Synchytrium endobioticum
Fungus
Potatoes (can also survive on a number of wild Solanum spp.)
Tubers and underground stems are deformed by greenish - yellow cauliflower-like outgrowths.
As the crop dies down, the outgrowths decay and release spores into the soil, where they may remain infective for more than 30 years. Spread is by contaminated machinery or tools, soil from plants grown in infested fields and manure from stock fed with infected tubers. The disease may also develop during storage.
Favourable Factors
Cool, wet soils.
As this is a Notifiable Disease, infected potato crops must be destroyed and subsequent planting of potatoes can be restricted.
Find out more information on the key disease threats to your potato crop. For each disease you will find out the importance of the disease in terms of potential yield penalty, how to identify the disease in its early stages and our advice on the best control strategies.