CSU finds 4 Fusarium fungi behind Colorado potato rot
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- Colorado State University researchers identified four Fusarium species causing potato dry rot in the San Luis Valley, including one species not previously recorded in the United States.
- Hafiz M. Usman Aslam led the study as a postdoctoral fellow under Associate Professor Mohamad Chikh-Ali, using structural and molecular analyses to differentiate the fungal species.
- Plant Disease journal published the findings, providing a scientific basis for improved disease diagnosis and monitoring in potato storage.
- Fusarium species differ in aggressiveness, epidemiology, and response to management, making species‑level identification essential for effective control.
- Colorado potato growers and storage managers will benefit from the study’s guidance on targeted management strategies, cultivar selection, and breeding for resistance.
Why it matters: Colorado potato growers and storage managers gain precise pathogen identification that can steer targeted treatments and reduce post‑harvest losses, while breeders can use the species data to develop resistant cultivars, bolstering the region’s potato economy and ensuring sustainable production for the state's agricultural sector.
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