Kgothatso Chauke, PHD candidate, New Generation of Academics Programme (NGAP) lecturer at the Department of Biotechnology and Food Technology, Faculty of Sciences.

Chauke’s research

topic is the development of a rapid molecular test for the detection of specific mutations responsible for fungicide tolerance in Alternaria. She aims to develop a rapid test for the detection of mutation for fungicide tolerance in Alternaria species associated with potatoes.

Potatoes are the fifth most important crop worldwide, after wheat, corn, rice and sugarcane. The South African potato industry is valued at R33-billion, contributes to job creation and food safety, and employs between 50000 to 60000 permanent and seasonal employees in the primary sector (Potatoes South Africa, 2019; 2021). “Alternaria species have become one of the major pathogens affecting potatoes in South Africa, posing a significant threat to potato production due to the high yield losses as a result of the diseases they cause,” she explains.

Registered fungicides can be used during planting, but this adds to the production costs. Repeated application of the same fungicides for disease protection can lead to the development of population resistance or tolerant fungi, resulting in less effective fungicides and an increase in the risk of yield and quality of potatoes. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the specific mutations conferring tolerance against the various classes of fungicides that are present in the South African potato production regions, in order to guide farmers to use dynamic management programmes.