Economic effectiveness of using fungicides in the protection of potato against Phytophthora infestans and Alternaria spp.

The aim of the research carried out in 2014–2016 at the Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute in Jadwisin was to assess the economic effectiveness of the use of fungicides in combating the causative agents of potato blight and alternaria on plants of four edible potato varieties with different resistance to Phytophthora infestans. The experiment included two objects: control – without chemical protection and protection – in which from 3 to 5 chemical treatments were performed. In the protected object obtained increase of yield of tubers was 20.4%. The value of saved production amounted to an average of 4.181.8 zł/ha. In the years of research in which meteorological conditions favored the development of late blight and alternaria, high profitability of using fungicides was found. Orientation index of profitability (E2) was in the range of 2.5–4.0, which means that the performed plant protection treatment constituted from 2.5 to 4.0% of the value of the obtained tuber yield per 1 hectare.