Late Blight Epidemics Data for Model Qualification Across Four Countries

Aggregating observed and simulated data from 32 late blight epidemics across Ecuador, Mexico, Israel, and the United States, involving 13 potato cultivars. It was used to qualify the LATEBLIGHT simulation model, which predicts disease development based on weather, host growth, and resistance. The data supports analysis of model performance and sensitivity to variables like initial inoculum and weather.

Use Cases

• Compare observed disease severity data with LATEBLIGHT model predictions across 13 potato cultivars to assess model accuracy.
• Analyze the sensitivity of the LATEBLIGHT model to changes in weather variables versus host resistance parameters.
• Investigate model prediction inconsistencies for specific cultivars or locations, such as the one noted in the study.
• Use the 32 epidemic records to validate or extend the domain of applicability for plant disease simulation models.

Strengths

• Includes data from 32 distinct late blight epidemics, providing multiple observational points.
• Covers a diverse geographic scope with epidemics from Ecuador, Mexico, Israel, and the United States.
• Involves 13 different potato cultivars, allowing for analysis across varying host resistance levels.

Limitations

• The dataset does not include fungicide application data, limiting its use for studying chemical control effects.
• Host resistance levels were assigned based on general categories from local reports, which may introduce inaccuracies as noted for four cultivars.
• The temporal coverage is limited, with specific mention of data from La Tola, Ecuador for 1997-1998.

Provenance

Source

International Potato Center Harvested Dataverse, authored by Jorge Andrade-Piedra.

Collection Method

Data from field observations of late blight epidemics compared with outputs from the LATEBLIGHT mathematical simulation model.

Time Range

Includes data from 1997-1998 for La Tola, Ecuador; specific years for other locations are not detailed.

Freshness

The metadata was last updated in 2026, but the underlying observational data is from the late 1990s.

Geography

Ecuador, Mexico, Israel, and the United States.