Effects of Chemical Control, Cultivar Resistance, and Structure of Cultivar Root System on Black Shank Incidence of Tobacco

Abstract

Black shank, caused by the hemibiotrophic oomycete Phytophthora parasitica var. nicotianae, is a major disease of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). The rise of race 1 in the late 1990s, after extensive cropping of cultivars possessing the Php gene, confirming immunity to race 0 of P. parasitica var. nicotianae, imposed new challenges to black shank management. The effects of tobacco cultivars and chemical controls with mefenoxam (Ridomil Gold) on black shank incidence were investigated in naturally infested fields. Twenty-five cultivars were tested and the highest resistance for races 0 and 1 of P. parasitica var. nicotianae was provided by RJR 75 and SP 227 based on field and laboratory studies. When race 1 was prevalent, mefenoxam was effective to control black shank. An initial application at an early stage of tobacco growth, such as a few days before or after transplant, was essential to successfully control the disease. In greenhouse experiments, cultivars carrying the Php gene produced fewer and shorter adventitious roots than cultivars possessing only partial resistance to all races of P. parasitica var. nicotianae. Strategies such as use of mefenoxam, especially at an early stage, when adventitious roots are emerging, and planting a cultivar with high partial resistance or possessing the Ph gene when race 1 or race 0, respectively, predominates are critical factors in reducing loss due to P. parasitica var. nicotianae.