Potato Spindle Tuber Viroid - Method To Control Disease

Method To Control Disease

Potato spindle tuber can be controlled effectively by planting PSTV-free potato tubers in fields free of diseased tubers that may have survived from the previous year’s crop. Plant whole seed tubers rather than cut pieces. Avoid contact with leaves (either by staff or equipment) during field operations. Control insects, especially aphids and chewing species. Carefully remove the infected plants from the healthier plants, bag them and burn plants that are suspected of being infected well away from production areas. Monitor the crop carefully.

Apply hygiene procedures if there has been an outbreak of PSTVd. Wash equipment (knives, cutters, sprayers, cultivators) with sanitizers before moving to another field or sowing another seed-line. Viroids are resistant to heat sterilization so sometimes freezing or chemical treatments are more effective. So equipment, surfaces and tools can be disinfected with sodium or calcium hypochlorite (bleach) and 2% sodium hydroxide. Chemicals such as Virkon and quaternary compounds such as Dermasan can be used.