Rolling Potato Leaves

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Rolling potato leaves is a fairly common disease. In addition to the leaves, it can also infect potato tubers. The most clearly characteristic signs of this scourge appear in the second and third years after infection. And you can meet her in almost all areas of potato cultivation. Rolling leaves leads to a decrease in the potato yield by 30 - 80%, while the starch content in the tubers decreases by 2 - 5%

A few words about the disease

In the first year of infection, twisting of the edges of the lobes of the young upper leaves is observed. The upper sides of the leaves can be painted in yellow tones, and the lower ones in pink.

Further, there is a twisting of the leaf lobes of the lower tiers along the middle veins. The leaves become quite fragile, leathery and tough, and when touched, they begin to rustle. Often, the leaves acquire a yellowish, bronze, purple or reddish tint. And on their undersides, a characteristic anthocyanin coloration may appear. In addition, some plant varieties stop flowering completely.

The leaf petioles of infected plants are located at a sharper angle to the stems, as a result of which the plants acquire a Gothic island-elongated shape. Infected crops are characterized by very weak tuberization.

In the event that the mother tubers became the main source of infection, the lower leaves curl along the central veins.

If the disease also affects potato tubers, then net necrosis can be observed in their sections. Infected nodules are characterized by the presence of filamentous sprouts. In addition, such tubers germinate much longer than healthy tubers and are more susceptible to blackleg damage.

The causative agent of the ill-fated misfortune is a virus called Potato leaf roll virus. This virus dramatically disrupts photosynthesis, reducing the outflow of assimilates from the leaves. In this case, the outflow of carbohydrates to other organs from the leaves is also disrupted. Plants often begin to lag behind in growth and are characterized by a chlorotic pale green color.

Quite often, the causative agent of this disease is in a latent form - this is due to the prevailing conditions for the growth and development of potatoes and sometimes greatly complicates the diagnosis of adversity by external symptoms. Because of this, sometimes it is even necessary to resort to serological diagnostics.

The development of a dangerous ailment is largely favored by a lack of moisture, as well as high air and soil temperatures. In such conditions, the symptoms of damage increase markedly, contributing to an increase in crop losses. Often, crop losses reach up to 50% of its total volume. And if, simultaneously with the curling of the leaves, net necrosis of tubers also appears, then the amount of starch in the potato will also decrease.

The main carriers of the destructive infection are field bugs and aphids (the green peach aphid is considered especially dangerous in this case). By the way, this ailment is never transmitted mechanically. The infection persists in tubers for quite some time.

How to fight

The main measure to protect potatoes against viral infections is to limit their spread, as well as to grow the most resistant hybrids and varieties. The carriers of the harmful disease and the reserve plants must be systematically destroyed. Another equally important measure is the observance of crop rotation.

Control over seed material will not be superfluous. All seeds intended for sowing are recommended to be stored in foil packaging or in sealed containers.

Plants that seem suspicious should be checked for infection. And the affected crops, along with the specimens growing in the neighborhood, must be promptly removed - this will help prevent further spread of the disease.