Abstract

Semira Nasir

Ethiopia has possibly the highest potential for potato production of any country in Africa. However in Ethiopia, the yield per unit area of potato is very low compared to those of other countries. There are many factors that reduce the yield of the crop among which the diseases like Late Blight (LB) and Bacterial Wilt (BW) which play an important role in reduction of the yield.Hence,the objective of this review is to review the major disease of potato and their management in Ethiopia. In Ethiopia, LB is occurs throughout the major potato production areas and researches have made estimates of losses ranging from 6.5 to 61.7%, depending on levelof susceptibility of the varieties.Different types of management options like Fungicide Use, Resistant Cultivars, Intercropping,this management practice can help in reducing LB effect. However because of its new strain development, there is no single effective management strategy of this disease. Therefore adopting integrated disease management approach is the most effective, environmentally safe and low costly to the users.In addition to LB Bacterial wilt of potato can also cause significant yield loss to potato. Because of this pathogen stays in the soil for several years it prohibits subsequent production of potato in the same field. Moreover, this pathogen may stay latent without showing any symptoms in the field with the consequence of high impact on tuber yield in the upcoming season. For this disease the common control measures employed in other countries include the use of resistant variety, crop sanitation, crop rotation and other cultural practice as single or integrated disease management have met, with only limited success and on more research has been done in Ethiopia for the management of this disease. Therefore in our country more research is needed on this disease management.