The acreage of potato in Nepal is about 4% of the total cultivated land and the average productivity is 8.6 tlha which is quite low by international standards. Several factors may affect yield including a number of diseases. Bacterial wilt caused by Pseudomonas solanacearum E.F. Smith is one of the major diseases of potato, which is becoming a serious constraint to potato production particularly in the hills. The disease has been reported to be spread through seed potatoes in many potential potato growing areas of the hills, foothills and valleys of eastern, central and western development regions of the country. Either ignorance or innocence of technicians and/or growers on the nature of the pathogen and its mode of dissemination has resulted in gradual spread of the disease to new areas. Various authors have estimated losses in yield ranging from 5 to 100% due to bacterial wilt or brown rot. Besides potato, the pathogen has been reported to infect important vegetable crops like tomato, eggplant and chili causing significant losses in production. The races of the bacterium occurring in Nepal have been identified as race 3 (Biovar 2) and race 1 (Biovar 3). So far, potato varieties resistant to brown rot are not available attempts have been made to manage the disease through integrated approaches such as crop rotation, planting of clean seed, soil amendment and field sanitation along with the participation of the farmer community.

The acreage of potato in Nepal is about 4% of the total cultivated land and the average productivity is 8.6 tlha which is quite low by international standards. Several factors may affect yield including a number of diseases. Bacterial wilt caused by Pseudomonas solanacearum E.F. Smith is one of the major diseases of potato, which is becoming a serious constraint to potato production particularly in the hills. The disease has been reported to be spread through seed potatoes in many potential potato growing areas of the hills, foothills and valleys of eastern, central and western development regions of the country. Either ignorance or innocence of technicians and/or growers on the nature of the pathogen and its mode of dissemination has resulted in gradual spread of the disease to new areas. Various authors have estimated losses in yield ranging from 5 to 100% due to bacterial wilt or brown rot. Besides potato, the pathogen has been reported to infect important vegetable crops like tomato, eggplant and chili causing significant losses in production. The races of the bacterium occurring in Nepal have been identified as race 3 (Biovar 2) and race 1 (Biovar 3). So far, potato varieties resistant to brown rot are not available attempts have been made to manage the disease through integrated approaches such as crop rotation, planting of clean seed, soil amendment and field sanitation along with the participation of the farmer community.