Canada: Bacteria discovery could have prevented Irish Potato Famine

A Saskatoon research scientist has discovered some good bacteria found in Saskatchewan and Alberta soils that could have stopped the Irish Potato Famine. Sue Boyetchko and her team are taking that naturally-occurring bacteria, multiplying them in a lab and applying the bacteria to potato plants and potatoes themselves. Boyetchko and her team has had a 90 per cent success rate with controlling late blight both on potato plants while the potatoes are growing and also putting the bacteria on healthy, harvested potatoes to prevent the fungus from forming. More