The spread of Phoma exigua within the potato crop

The incidence of gangrene that developed in tuber samples harvested in a systematic way from potato crops planted with surface sterilized gangrene-free seed surrounding a small plot planted with gangrene-affected seed showed that in two out of the three years marked outward spread of Phoma exigua var.foveata occurred in an uneven manner to about 4 ft (1–2 m) from the central plot. The occurrence of var. foveata was restricted to the immediate area in and around the gangrene infection locus whilst P. exigua var. exigua was more widely and evenly distributed throughout the experimental area. The incidence of infection in and around the central plot varied from year to year and it is suggested that the main method of spread of var. foveata inoculum is by rain splash. Infection by both fungi appeared to be influenced in a similar manner in all three seasons.