Weed blamed for brown rot outbreak
2 December 1999
Weed blamed for brown rot outbreak
By FWi staff
RESEARCHERS think a riverbank weed was responsible for an outbreak of a serious bacterial potato disease in Northamptonshire.
A ministry of agriculture team has spent the past few weeks trying to establish the source of an outbreak of potato brown rot on a farm in the Corby area.
They now suspect the bacterium had infected woody nightshade growing by Willow Brook. The disease can be spread through irrigation using contaminated water.
Since the outbreak was reported last month there have been no further cases of potato brown rot.
To prevent further contamination, officials have been trying to clear the weed — also known as bittersweet — from waterways.
A MAFF spokesman said: “Weve been trying to kill as much woody nightshade in the area as possible and will resume the clearance once there is new growth in spring.”
Potato brown rot causes leaves to wilt, and stains and rots tubers.
Widely distributed in warm, temperate areas, recently there have been outbreaks in the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Austria.
There have only been two previous outbreaks in Britain.
The infected farm has been placed under official restrictions.