Identification of the pathogen of the potato dry rot disease and screening of fungicides in the Minxian district of Gansu Province

The pathogens causing potato dry rot disease during storage in the Minxian district of Gansu Province were identified as Fusarium equiseti, F. solani, F. tricinctum, F. oxysporum, and three other strains of Fusarium spp. Fusarium equiseti and F. solani were the most frequently occurring pathogenic fungi isolated from the diseased potatoes; frequencies of these isolates were 28.57% and 41.67%, respectively. Furthermore, this is the first reported case of potato dry rot disease caused by F. oxysporum or F. equiseti from Gansu Province. About 71.01% to 81.84% of the infestation was controlled by spraying 32.5% difenoconazole-azoxystrobin, while, spraying Bacillus subtilis B2 10 times during the storage period controlled 79.71% of the infestation. These provide the basis for control of the potato dry rot disease in the Minxian district of Gansu Province.