Efficacy of Organic and Conventional Fungicides and Impact of Application Timing on Control of Tomato Late Blight Caused by US-22, US-23, and US-24 Isolates of Phytophthora infestans

Abstract

Late blight, caused by Phytophthora infestans, is one of the most economically important diseases of potato and tomato worldwide. Repeated preventative application of fungicides is the primary means of control on susceptible solanaceous host crops. For organic production, fungicide choices are limited, and little efficacy data on noncopper options is available on which to base control recommendations. Twelve fungicides, including organic and conventional selections, were evaluated for both preventative and postinfection control of a single infection cycle of late blight caused by isolates representing three recently identified P. infestans clonal lineages (US-22, US-23, and US-24) using a detached tomato leaf assay. A subset of the most effective fungicides was also tested for preventative control of a single infection cycle of late blight caused by an isolate of US-23 on potted whole tomato plants under laboratory conditions. Fungicide applications made 2 days after inoculation failed to significantly control late blight on detached leaves in all treatments, with the exception of Bravo Ultrex (US-23 only) and Phostrol (US-22 only). Preventative fungicide applications of Bravo Ultrex, Ridomil Gold SL, Revus, Zonix, and low and high rates of EF400 significantly controlled late blight caused by US-22, -23, and -24 isolates. Additionally, preventative application of Phostrol significantly controlled late blight caused by the US-22 isolate; and Phostrol, low rate of Mycostat, and high rate of Champ significantly controlled late blight caused by the US-23 isolate. Late blight caused by the US-24 isolate was significantly reduced compared with US-22 and US-23 isolates for all fungicide treatments applied after inoculation, as well as for all preventative fungicide treatments, with the exception of Bravo, Ridomil, and Revus. In whole-potted-plant assays with the US-23 isolate, late blight was significantly controlled by preventative application of Bravo Ultrex, Ridomil Gold SL, and high rate of EF400; disease was not significantly controlled by Zonix, low rate of EF400, Phostrol, or low and high rates of Champ. Based on these results, it is anticipated that currently available fungicides with suitability to conventional and organic systems can effectively control late blight caused by new clonal lineages of P. infestans when applied preventatively and that late blight caused by the US-24 clonal lineage may require less fungicide use than US-22 or US-23 to mitigate disease.