Resumen
- Previous research carried out in Peru and Ecuador resulted in the development of a tool for decision making on late blight control by small farmers in potato crops (CIP disks). In this work we present the first step of the validation process for a future use of the CIP disks in Colombia. Three locations: Mosquera (Cundinamarca), Turmequé and Toca (Boyacá), were chosen to carry out independent experiments to evaluate the disks with varieties that differ in their resistance to P. infestans: Pastusa Suprema (resistant), Ica Única (moderately resistant) and Diacol Capiro (susceptible). In each experiment, three treatments were evaluated: T1 (Control using CIP disks), T2 (Positive control: Mancozeb, in Mosquera, and farmer management, in Toca and Turmequé) and T3 (Negative control – without any control strategy applied). The experimental design was a randomized complete block design with four replications. The weight of harvested tubers was not different in T1 and T2. This result implies that the use of the disks could be a powerful tool. The disease pressure was high enough to guarantee that the average weight of tubers in T3 was significantly lower than the rest of treatments. The exception was the Pastusa Suprema plots in two localities, where not significant differences (p <0.05) were observed between treatments. This result could possibly be due to the resistance of this variety to the pathogen. Some adjustments to the use of the disks as a tool for decision taking in managing potato late blight are necessary.