Joint International Conference on Long-term Experiments ...

PHYTOPHTORA INFESTANS - ECOLOGICAL CONTROL WITHIN
ROMANIAN (TRANSYLVANIAN PLANE) POTATO CROP
Ioan Oroian, Liviu Holonec, Viorel Florian, Laura Paulette, Antonia Odagiu
University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture,
3-5 Mănăştur St., 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania, e-mail: neluoroian@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
The research aimed the following objectives: recording blight appearance, evolution and
action within a technology of organic culture; testing new products and/or products used
in other cultures for potato pathogens; the identification of other natural products used
in disease control; recording the behavior of different potato varieties against mycotic
pathogens in organic agriculture and establishing the sorts of varieties in areas of
interest. Treatments with nine organic products, used for blight control, were performed
in experimental field: nutritive clay 1%, 1/1whey, copper sulfate in association with
lime 1%, bentonite 0.5%, copper oxychloride 4kg/ha, degreased milk 1/1, copper
hydroxide 4kg/ha, cosmetic clay 1% and potassium permanganate 0.3%. The
experimental results and statistical interpretation reveal the validity of the well known
classical products in potato blight control. Those based on copper (4 kg/ha copper
oxychloride, 4 kg/ha copper hydroxide, 1% copper sulfide in association with lime), and
other products tested within this trial and susceptible for favorable effects due to their
pH, pellicular protection, or other properties recoded no significant efficacy, except
whey1/1.
Key words: Phytophora infestans, potato, treatment
INTRODUCTION
The organic agriculture appeared as alternative to intensive, conventional
(industrialized) agricultural practice, based on production maximization using inputs,
and high quantities of the energo-intensive stimulators of production, with the aim of
continuous increase of agricultural production for a preponderantly urban population in
full process of development (Morar et al., 2003). Within organic agriculture, an
assembly of balanced culture techniques (technological chains) in concordance with
natural environmental rules describes the potato culture, with the aim of obtaining crops
of high nutritional and health quality. Because in our country, only the first stages of the
organic agriculture are developing and elaborated studies on potato culture within
organic system were not yet performed, the study of the suitability of potato culture
within this agricultural system is imposed. The control of the main mycotic pathogenic
agent, which produces blight in this culture, will be focused (Donescu et al., 1996;
Orian, 2003; Oroian et al., 2003; Plămădeală, 1999).
MATERIAL AND METHOD
The experiments were performed in pedo-climatic conditions of the Transylvanian
Plane, with a transition temperate clime and specific traits determined by the general
orientation of the summits and slopes of Jucu village. This area is part of the wet and
colder specific spreading area of the Transylvanian Plane, Someş Plane. The vertic clay
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