The disease risk in potatoes has increased with the wet weather over the last few weeks. So far late blight has not been found in the province, but Brian Wilson, potato specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives, says late blight disease severity values have increased to medium risk levels in some areas.
The values are generated through MAFRI's potato weather modeling program. Wilson notes it's important to get good coverage of the plants as the crop's canopy is closing.