Abstract
Early blight, caused by Alternaria solani, presents a major threat to global potato crops, resulting in significant yield and economic loss to the potato industry. These losses are attributed to improper disease management strategies, pathogen evolution and lack of durable disease resistance. Therefore, devising effective disease management strategies based on the understanding of the complex interactions between plants and pathogens at various levels is crucial. Current control methods heavily rely on chemical fungicides, yet their effectiveness is short-lived. Other management strategies include traditional crop rotation, disease forecasting, resistant variety development and genetic engineering. In this regard, this study reviews existing control methods for early blight, highlighting their drawbacks and future prospects. By synthesising existing knowledge and identifying gaps in understanding, we aim to inform the development of more effective and holistic approaches to mitigate the impact of early blight on potato crops globally.
