THE HOME GARDEN BLACK ROT IN KUMARA

Te Ao Hou, December 1959, Page 58

THE HOME GARDEN BLACK ROT IN KUMARA by R. G. Falconer, Horticulturist, Department of Maori Affairs, Tauranga Over the past few years, owing to the onslaught of black rot in kumara beds, production has gradually receded to a stage when drastic measures must be taken if the Maori people are to continue to produce economical quantities of this most desirable sweet potato. However, if growers are prepared to go to a small amount of trouble they can be assured of reasonable success and once again produce good clear tubers. Infection of this disease comes originally from the soil in the tuber, therefore infected tubers give rise to infection on young plants or slips in the propagation beds, and when planted out in the field, spread the disease until harvesting when the crop is stored. Breakdown of the tuber occurs and, in some cases, the crop is a total loss. Black Rot fungus over-winters on dead vines and other decaying vegetation. Kumaras should be carefully sorted at harvesting time and any doubtful tubers destroyed by burning or feeding to pigs. All vines should be gathered and when dry enough, burnt. If infection is present in crops, land should not be used again for four or five years. Seed beds should also be changed to a new area.