Sclerotinia Stem Rot of Potato in North Dakota

Until 1980, Sclerotina stem rot of potatoes had not been reported in North Dakota. A field of potatoes growing in the state manifested symptoms of this disease. A search for further evidence of stem rot was conducted and the disease development was monitored in a field infested with this disease in the soil. Based upon pathogenicity tests, disease symptoms, disease history of the potato fields and the reeults of in vitro comparison of the pathogen with a known isolate of Sclerotinia, the potato pathogen was identified as S. sclerotiorum. Another problem for this disease is it's development in potato storage bins