Late blight (caused by Phytophthora infestans ) is the most devastating disease affecting organic (and conventional) potato production in the EU. The proposed ban on the use of copper fungicides for control of late blight in organic farming has potentially serious implications for the potato crop. Losses of yield and hence income in the absence of copper sprays is expected to threaten the economic viability of both organic potato enterprises and/or whole organic farming businesses in many areas of the EU.
The overall aim of the Blight-MOP project is to develop a systems approach to control potato late blight that maintains yield and quality and hence commercial viability of organic potato crops without the use of copper fungicides. This involves integrated use of (i) resistant varieties (ii) existing agronomic strategies (iii) alternative treatments that can replace synthetic and copper based fungicides (iv) use of existing blight forecasting systems to optimise control treatments aiming to maximise synergistic interactions between (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv).
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