Two decades after pale cyst nematode was detected in Idaho, researchers continue to pursue eradication through complementary measures, according to an October 21 report by Viktor Kovalev in Potatoes.News.
The report highlights work by the University of Idaho’s PCN team and the PAPAS consortium against Globodera pallida, whose cysts can protect viable eggs in soil for up to 30 years.
Litchi tomato is among the promising tools. Used as a trap crop, it stimulates egg hatch without allowing successful reproduction. Potatoes.News reports egg-density reductions exceeding 80 percent in one growing season and reaching 99 percent in rotations involving susceptible potatoes.
Other approaches include mustard-based biofumigation and chemical fumigation with Telone II. Developing a resistant russet adapted to Idaho remains a breeding objective.
The deregulation of Idaho’s first field represents an encouraging milestone, the report says. However, affected growers face prolonged land-use restrictions, additional costs and market disruption.
Equipment sanitation, careful management of soil movement and early detection remain central to containment. The broader message is that sustained progress requires coordinated measures over years, alongside continued research.
Source: Potatoes.News, Viktor Kovalev, October 21, 2026.
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