- what do we know about them?

EuroBlight is continuously examining the ongoing evolution of the European population of the potato late blight pathogen and now reports on the 2017 results. Almost 1500 samples were genotyped from 16 countries last growing season.

EuroBlight, the European network of scientists and other specialists working on potato early and late blight, has updated its fungicide efficacy tables for the control of late blight and early blight ahead of the 2018 field season.

In view of recent advances, but also of the current knowledge gaps and urgent issues, EuroBlight members present in Aarhus agreed on next steps and priorities for the network.

A team of researchers examining the ongoing evolution of the European population of the potato late blight pathogen now report on the 2016 data. Over 1600 samples were genotyped from 26 countries and entered into the EuroBlight database. More than 70% of the samples were of defined clonal lineages that have been observed in previous seasons. Some clones are widespread and have been present in Europe for more than a decade but two recently emerged clones showed marked local expansion in the 2016 season. The other 30% of the population comprised ephemeral genetically diverse isolates consistent with a source of oospore-borne inoculum. A clear regional pattern in the dominance of clones versus sexual recombinants was observed across Europe.

We ask members of the EuroBlight network to help in identifying contact people who might assist in FTA card sampling of P. infestans from late blight lesions in the following countries: Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar & Pakistan

A team of researchers tracking the 2015 population of the potato late blight pathogen have added to the 2013 and 2014 data to provide three years of data on the spatial pattern of pathogen genetic diversity that visualises the distribution and diversity of dominant clones and reveals novel genetically diverse isolates in some regions.

India is now the third largest producer of potato in the world and at a recent meeting researchers expressed enthusiasm for links into a global collaborative network on potato late blight management.

The establishment of an Asian late blight network is part of a global trend of greater collaboration and knowledge sharing to improve the management of potato late blight.

European researchers and companies concerned with the potato disease phytophthora will work more closely with parties in other parts of the world. The first move was made during the biennial meeting of the European network EuroBlight, held in Romania earlier this month. Colleagues from North-America, South-America and Asia were also invited.