Study offers new way to stop global potato pathogen once linked to Ireland’s Great Famine

Scientists at KTH Royal Institute of Technology and international partners have developed a targeted peptide, CS5, that blocks a key enzyme in the potato late blight pathogen, historically linked to Ireland’s Great Famine and now spreading due to climate change. The peptide specifically inhibits an essential growth enzyme in the oomycete pathogen without harming other plants or humans, offering a promising alternative to chemical fungicides. Laboratory tests show CS5 effectively prevents infection in treated potato samples and may pave the way for eco-friendly crop protection strategies.