Foot rot, an increasingly important disease of sweet potato especially
in the southern states of Brazil, was determined to be caused by Plen
odomus destruens. It is proposed that this name be maintained for the
time being until the taxonomy of the Phomopsis - related species to wh
ich P. destruens might belong - is resolved. Yield losses due to foot
rot were found to be as high as 80% when symptomless stem cuttings of
a susceptible variety obtained from an infested field were used for pl
anting.