News on Potato Defects and Diseases from Northern America

August 21, 2013

Wisconsin potato growers stay ahead of blight

Although late blight has been confirmed in 12% of Wisconsin’s counties, growers took aggressive action to control the disease and are predicting full yields and high quality potatoes of all varieties this season.

August 13, 2013

Alberta: watch out for late blight

Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development warns Alberta growers and gardeners for the risk of late blight.

August 07, 2013

Potato psyllids in Pacific North West show far less zebra chip disease this year

About the same number of potato psyllids have been caught on sticky traps in Idaho fields this season as by this time last summer, but far fewer of the tiny, winged insects have tested positive for the Liberibacter bacterium, which causes the crop dise...

Potatoes growing on prince edward island

August 02, 2013

Prince Edward Island Potato crop blight free

There has not been a single case of late blight reported on Prince Edward Island's potato crop this year, a situation agriculture officials are calling unusual.

July 25, 2013

Key Technology Signs Agreement to Deploy Chemical Imaging Technology (CIT®) for Potato Processors

Key Technology announces that it has signed an exclusive licensing agreement with EVK DI Kerschhaggl GmbH and Insort GmbH to deploy Chemical Imaging Technology (CIT®), an advanced value-added hyperspectral solution, in Key’s products, further enhancing...

June 05, 2013

Research: Infected volunteer potato plants unlikely to spread zebra chip disease

Volunteer potato plants growing from seed infected with zebra chip are likely too few in number and survive too briefly to contribute to the spread of the crop disease, according to new Oregon State University research findings.

May 07, 2013

Washington State Potato Commission helps Potato Growers apply Integrated Pest Management

As the potato growing season begins, The Washington State Potato Commission (WSPC) will provide free Integrated Pest Management (IPM) supplies for Washington’s potato growers.

May 07, 2013

Potato farmer suing Canadian Government after year in Beirut jail

Henk Tepper, the New Brunswick potato farmer who spent over a year in a Beirut jail cell on allegations he shipped rotten potatoes to Algeria is suing the Canadian government, arguing it didn't protect his Charter rights.

April 25, 2013

State National Harmonization Program (SNHP) for seed potatoes launched

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) today announced the launch of the State National Harmonization Program (SNHP) for seed potatoes.

April 25, 2013

Syngenta potato hotline adds text message Alerts

Syngenta continues partnerships with key universities in Idaho, Michigan, North Dakota, Oregon and Washington to bring late blight hotlines to US potato growers in 2013.

April 22, 2013

Potato Psyllids Have Returned to Magic Valley

Potato Psyllids Have Returned to Magic Valley, Idaho Or maybe they just never went away. Psyllids, a tiny insect that can damage potatoes, might be hardier than some people originally thought.

March 22, 2013

Trickery and Other Methods Explored To Vanquish Potato Cyst Nematodes

The pale cyst nematode, Globodera pallida, is one bad roundworm. Unchecked, it invades the roots of potato and other host crops to feed, obstructing the free flow of nutrients and causing stunted growth, wilted leaves, and other symptoms that can event...

March 15, 2013

Potato Psyllids shown to survive harsh Idaho winter, heightening zebra chip concerns

It appears that potato psyllids, the tiny winged insects that can spread zebra chip disease in potato fields, will overwinter in Boise, Idaho, this season, despite the city experiencing one of its coldest Januaries on record.

March 14, 2013

Prince Edward Island potato farmers fight rot in storage due to sugar ends

Some farmers on P.E.I. are dealing with the problem of potatoes rotting in storage this winter and growers in the western part of the province are especially hard hit.

March 05, 2013

Idaho Potato growers approve contracts with Simplot, McCain

Idaho potato growers at a Monday meeting in Burley approved processing contracts with J.R. Simplot and McCain Foods that both include payment increases averaging 1.6 percent.

February 27, 2013

Idaho Potato Growers to vote on McCain, Simplot contracts

Idaho potato growers will vote Monday in Burley on contracts with McCain Foods and J.R. Simplot Co. paying a 1.6 percent average increase, according to sources involved in negotiations.

Late blight (Phytophthora Infestans) on potato leaf

February 19, 2013

University of Maine looking for blight-resistant potatoes

Potato breeding developments being researched by graduate students in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences of the University of Maine look to save the future of Maine’s iconic crop.

February 08, 2013

Late blight pathogen blocks RNA silencing pathways of potato plants

When a pathogen attacks a plant, infection usually follows after the plant’s immune system is compromised. A team of researchers at the University of California, Riverside focused on Phytophthora and deciphered how it succeeded in crippling the potato...