Minireview/Minisynthèse Integrated management of potato silver scurf (Helminthosporium solani)

Silver scurf is a surface blemish disease of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tubers, caused by Helminthosporium solani Durieu & Mont., which has gained increasing economic importance in recent years. The disease develops initially in the field but fully expands in the warehouse under storage conditions favourable to the spread of the pathogen. Control of the disease, once provided by the fungicide thiabendazole, is now difficult due to the appearance of thiabendazole-resistant strains and the lack of potato cultivars with high levels of resistance to silver scurf. An integrated disease management programme including appropriate cultural methods and storage conditions along with the use at planting and/or at harvest of synthetic chemical fungicides is recommended to reduce the incidence and the severity of silver scurf. Recent studies put forth the possibility that ‘generally recognized as safe’ (GRAS) compounds and microbial antagonists could eventually be integrated into silver scurf management strategies.