Pathogens - it’s all in their DNA

Bacteria and fungi dominate life in the soil. Many benefit from the growth of potato plants, or are at least neutral. However, a few are clearly harmful. Such soil-borne pathogens wage war against their host. They impact rotations, reduce yield and quality and, if left unchecked, can destroy the very plants they depend upon.

Developed by SARDI (South Australian Research and Development Institute), PREDICTA Pt is a commercial DNA testing service that can identify which pathogens are in the soil or skin of seed tubers.

In Issue 05 of PotatoLink magazine, Ryan Hall and Jenny Ekman from the PotatoLink team report on PREDICTA Pt including a 5-year case study describing the use of PREDICTA Pt to monitor powdery scab and rhizoctonia on a commercial farm.