Evaluation of different fungicides applied as seed tuber treatments for the control of potato silver scurf

Silver scurf of potatoes (Solanum tuberosum), caused by the fungus Helminth osporium solani, is an important surface-blemishing disease of potato tuber s. The objective of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of different fun gicides applied to potato seed tubers for control of silver scurf. Field tr ials were conducted in Quebec province in 1998 and 1999. Potato seed tubers infected with H. solani were treated with either talc, fludioxonil, mancoz eb, iprodione, thiabendazole, imazalil or azoxystrobin, and planted at thre e locations in 1998 and two locations in 1999. The results showed that, und er our experimental conditions, the fungicides tested, applied as seed trea tments, did not significantly influence total and marketable yields as well as silver scurf severity on daughter tubers at harvest and after different storage periods. In addition, this study showed the influence of the exper imental locations on silver scurf development and suggests that soil inocul um plays a role in the epidemiology of the disease.