India: Potato crop escapes late blight infection this year

Potato growers in Karnataka have a reason to cheer this year. It has been 60 to 70 days since sowing of seed potatoes began and so far, there have been no reports of late blight, a fungal infection that affects potato crops, anywhere in the district. Also, chances of the potato attracting late blight at this stage are rare. This year, potato has been cultivated on around 10,000 hectares of land in the district. The crop has been in a good state all over the district, prompting farmers to hope for good returns. “As the crop has survived for 60 days, there are no chances of late blight again this year,” A.B. Sanjay, Deputy Director of Horticulture Department, told The Hindu recently. More