Worldwide, late blight is rated the worst of potato diseases. Intermittently since the 1990s, spores have turned up in commercial fields of Idaho, Washington, California and Oregon. When the spore is present it reproduces like a wildfire in cool, moist spring weather and in canopies moistened by frequent irrigation.
It's good news in potato country that a network of spud researchers this spring put the Internet to work to track late blight outbreaks in five states. Growers in a sixth state, California, are invited to call the Oregon late blight hotline. The multi-state program began last week, but as our Dave Wilkins reported, some growers are reluctant to report the disease, fearing it will hurt marketing.
The University of Idaho's Phil Nolte, a veteran researcher, said he thinks there's a "stigma"attached to calling in a potential late blight infection.
