Results of research trials funded by the Northwest Potato Research Consortium and other publicly funded research will be discussed as part of an upcoming potato pest-management seminar, according to a report by Capital Press.
Jeff Miller, plant pathologist and principal with seminar host Miller Research LLC, said the trials looked at 13 measurements on eight varieties — including new Teton, Clearwater and Dakota russets as well as long-established types such as Russet Burbank, and Ranger, Norkotah, Alturas and Umatilla russets.
“We looked at a number of diseases this year (2019) in the field and post-harvest, with and without fungicide treatment,” he said.
Disease problems were fairly minimal last year for Idaho potato growers in general, Miller said. Temperatures weren’t as high as usual for much of the season, though heavy rains early on contributed to some isolated seed-decay problems.
“We had a relatively small outbreak of Late Blight,” he said. “We had some growers with Pink Rot issues, but they weren’t very widespread.”
The seminar will be 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Jan. 28 at the Historic Wilson Theatre, 610 Fremont St., Rupert, Idaho.
