Production of potatoes is of prime agricultural importance in the Netherlands. Late blight, caused by the oomycete Phytophthora infestans is the most important threat to this crop. Control of the disease is only possible by abundant use of fungicides, which use amounts to more than 50% of all fungicides used in The Netherlands. For more than a century the Phytophthora population was rather uniform and control was possible by integrated crop protection in combination with more or less resistant potato cultivars. However, due to the importation of infected potato material, the Phytophtora population has changed during the last 20 years, becoming more aggressive, producing persistent oospores, and showing more genetic variability thus, enabling adaptation to the present resistant cultivars. The increased aggressiveness, the decrease of resistance and, consequently, the large input of fungicides form a threat to sustainable potato culture in The Netherlands. This threat has led to the Dutch Phytophthora Umbrella programme (2003 2012). The aim of Umbrella programme is to reduce the use of fungicides to control P. infestans in potato by 75% in 2012 by three strategies. Firstly, to integrate all present and new research in the Netherlands and to focus all projects on this 2012 aim. Secondly, to hand over the steering of all research to a board of representatives from the potato sector to ensure commitment to and application of the results of all short term and long term research. Thirdly, to combine the three parties research (Wageningen UR), policy (Ministry of Agriculture) and potato sector in NILB to ensure that each party takes its responsibility for reaching the 2012 aim.
All research is brought together in six themes that form a highly integrated program:
Theme 1: Phytophthora Toolbox
Theme 2: Population Biology
Theme 3: Epidemiology
Theme 4: New sources for resistance
Theme 5: Genomics potato-Phytophthora interaction Theme 6: Genomics Phytophthora infestans |
