Epidemiological importance of Solanum sisymbriifolium, S. nigrum and S. dulcamara as alternative hosts for Phytophthora infestans

Lesions of Phytophthora infestans were found on woody nightshade (Solanum dulcamara), black nightshade (S. nigrum) and S. sisymbriifolium during a nationwide late blight survey in the Netherlands in 1999 and 2000. Pathogenicity and spore production of P. infestans isolates collected from potato (S. tuberosum), S. nigrum, S. dulcamara and S. sisymbriifolium were determined on several host plant species, and oospore formation in naturally infected and inoculated foliage of hosts was quantified. The present population of P. infestans in the Netherlands is pathogenic on S. nigrum, S. dulcamara and S. sisymbriifolium. Oospores were produced in leaves of S. nigrum, S. dulcamara and S. sisymbriifolium following infection with A1 and A2 isolates. Therefore these plant species should be regarded as alternative hosts for the late blight pathogen. In the case of S. nigrum and S. dulcamara infection was a relatively rare event, suggesting that diseased plants do not significantly contribute to the overall late blight disease pressure present in potato-production areas. Oospore production in ageing S. nigrum and S. dulcamara plants in autumn, however, may generate a considerable source of (auto) infections in following years. Considerable numbers of sporangia and oospores were produced on S. sisymbriifolium following infection with P. infestans. Additional field infection data are needed to evaluate the epidemiological consequences of a commercial introduction of S. sisymbriifolium as a potato cyst nematode trap crop.