Foot rot of sweet potato in Brazil

Abstract

Foot rot, an increasingly important disease of sweet potato especially in the southern states of Brazil, was determined to be caused by Plenodomus destruens. It is proposed that this name be maintained for the time being until the taxonomy of the Phomopsis - related species to which P. destruens might belong - is resolved. Yield losses due to foot rot were found to be as high as 80% when symptomless stem cuttings of a susceptible variety obtained from an infested field were used for planting.