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Post by dld on Feb 13, 2010 9:56:39 GMT -5
In your opinion are PL's "more" or "less" susceptible to diseases?
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Post by spudleafwillie on Feb 13, 2010 11:55:06 GMT -5
Rich, i dont think it is a matter of more or less resistance to disease; but the fact that the total surface area of a potato leaf form is much greater than that found on the regular leafed plant.
There is just more leaf surface are and mass there on PLs that a plant is able to survive disease infections and recover quicker from diseases. Just my humble opinion. Some people have said it is the thicker epidermis of PL give them better protection but i don't buy that theory.
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Post by camochef on Feb 19, 2010 0:28:42 GMT -5
for the most part I'd have to say that I see much less disease on my potato-leafed plants than I do on my regular-leafed plants. I don't know if that's from the reasons spud states or not, but I prefer potato leafed if given a choice. I also find heirloom plants to have less disease problems than hybrids although most people seem to feel otherwise. Camo
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PVP
Tomatophile
head spellerer
Only an Amateur
Posts: 798
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Post by PVP on Feb 19, 2010 16:13:16 GMT -5
This question whether potato leaf varieties generally are more disease resistant than regular leaf varieties comes up frequently and usually results in the same answers.
But let me offer a few observations:
1. If the perceived disease tolerance is attributed to the greater square inch surface of foliage on a PL vine vs an RL vine, then why are dwarf varieties with even more square inches of rugose foliage per foot of vine the most disease susceptible varieties in my garden year after year? Personally, I think the denser the foliage cover the greater the susceptibilty. Maybe it's to do with air drying time?
2. Why, if PLs are more disease resistant than RLs, are the majority of highly disease resistant tomato hybrids regular leaf types? Don't you think the breeders would've latched on to superior resistance in the PL types if it indeed exists? And I don't think the answer is "well PL is recessive and may be masked by the RL parent" because most disease resistant breeding lines also appear to be RL to begin with.
Just two lines of thought on the subject ... may be totally off base. But there you have it for thought.
Bill
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