The forecast systems are an alternative to the efficient control of late blight potatoes and consequent reduction in the amount of fungicide and thereby reduce production costs and environmental pollution. The objective of this study was to evaluate forecast systems, Blitecast and Prophy, for late blight occurrence in Macaca potato cultivar in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. The experiments were carried out during Spring 2006 and Autumn 2007 with the Macaca cultivar characterized as susceptible to late blight. Meteorological data were collected at the center of the experimental area with an automatic station and with psicrometers installed at different heights. The treatments were arranged in a completely randomized design, with four replications. Treatments were differentiated by using accumulated values of severity, which were calculated by the Blitecast and Prophy forecasting systems. The values of severity accumulated had the purpose of indicating the time of fungicide application for late blight control. The use of the forecast system of late blight, Prophy, with accumulation of 15, 20 or 25 values of severity, and system Blitecast with 24 accumulated severity for a potato susceptible genotype, Macaca, reduces the number of applications of fungicides without affecting productivity.
Phytophthora infestans; Solanum tuberosum; Blitecast; Prophy
