Investigating soil pH and nutrition as possible factors influencing pink rot in potatoes – a pilot study (PT19000)

What’s it all about?

This project is investigating how soil pH and nutrition may play a part in reducing the impact of pink rot disease in potatoes. By furthering the industry’s knowledge on this soilborne disease, the work will provide direction for future research priorities and recommendations on how to best manage pink rot.

Specifically, the project will:

• Perform a literature review of recent related pink rot research work
• Survey growers and agronomists on their experience and view of pink rot
• Conduct pot trials to study the role of PH, calcium, other nutrients and acidifying fertilisers on pathogen load and pink rot expression
• Establish field surveys of 20 potato paddocks known to have a recent history of pink rot to assess disease factors and analyse the soil.