News
Valley Potato Grower Magazine goes online
The Valley Potato Grower Magazine is published by the Northern Plains Potato Growers Association. It provides information on potato production for the potato industry throughout the world. This magazine is published 8 times annually.
2014 Research Reports
The 2014 Potato Research Reports that were funded primarily by the MN Area II Potato Research and Promotion Council and the Northern Plains Potato Growers Association. Research was conducted by researchers at North Dakota State University and the University of Minnesota in Minnesota and north Dakota in potato breeding, entomology, agronomy, pathology, weed science, and fertility.
MN Area II Potato Growers 24th Annual Educational Workshop
You are invited to attend the 24th Annual Potato Workshop on Tuesday, March 3rd 2015. This workshop gives us the opportunity to get together, learn and share ideas. We feel this program will be useful to everyone in the potato industry. We hope to see you there. A map to Jack and Jim’s is located on the back of this flyer.
Research Reporting Conference, International Crop Expo, & International Potato Scout School
Every year the Northern Plains Potato Growers Association (NPPGA) Research Reporting Conference and the International Crop Expo provide many opportunities to learn about current research and topics of interest for the potato producers. This year we have three programs to offer, the Research Reporting Conference, International Crop Expo, and International Potato Scout School. The meetings start on February 17 and go to the 19th in Grand Forks, ND at the Alerus Center and Canad Inn.
UNECE Guide to Seed Potato Diseases, Pests and Defects
A Booklet on potato pest and diseases from the United Nations Economic Commission of Europe (UNECE), Specialized Section on Potato Diseases is now available on the internet. This book has many nice pictures of potato diseases, pests, herbicide injury, and other potato defects.
Winter Test Results for North Dakota Seed
The North Dakota winter test results are now available. Certified seed is grown in Homestead, FL each year.
Unbelievable Success Stories of Weed Control in Potatoes: Linex + Metribuzin
My presentation at the Wild World of Weeds Workshop on linuron use in Russet Burbank potato. This research compared the tank mixture of linuron + metribuzin as a preemergence, 50% emergence, and postemergence weed control option and effect on plant growth and production. Application at 50% emergence had excellent weed control and generally the greatest marketable yield. Read and follow label directions for use of all herbicides.
Potato Scout School
The NDSU/U of M Potato Scout School will be held on February 19, 2015 from 12:30-4:00 pm at the Canad Inn in Grand Forks, ND. This event will provide training on potato diseases, insects, and weeds by the NDSU and University of Minnesota Potato Researchers and Extension Specialists. The focus of training will be to assist those who are new to the potato industry as well as help those who have been around for a while sharpen their skills in pest identification and crop management. Registration is required because seats are limited. There is no cost to this event because of generous sponsors.
Potato Expo Poster - Residual effects of Rejuvenate on potato seed for stem management
Research shows that stem number and tuber number are highly correlated. Physiologically old seed or varieties with many stems can have high tuber sets causing many undersized tubers. Altering the number of stems can be an effective way to control tuber set. Previous work demonstrated that 1-naphtheneacetic acid (NAA), Rejuvenate, treatments on seed can reduce stem number and increase tuber size and marketable yield. Grower practices vary greatly when treating seed. Some seed is fresh cut and planted without delay. Other seed is cut and stored for many weeks, allowing seed to suberize and providing flexibility for the planting schedule. In some cases, bad weather can delay planting. It is unknown what the effects of seed treated with NAA in storage has on stem number.
Sanitation for Bacterial Ring Rot
This presentation will help consultants, growers, and other practitioners in potato producing areas throughout the U.S. implement proper sanitation and disinfectant procedures for bacterial ring rot, a zero tolerance disease in the seed potato industry. Periodic outbreaks of this disease require vigilant testing and sanitation to prevent and manage additional spread and infection. This presentation explains how the Cms bacteria survive, proper disinfection procedures to prevent ring rot, suggestions for cleaning facilities and equipment if you have ring rot, and characteristics of frequently used disinfectants. By the end of this presentation, practitioners and potato growers should understand proper sanitation and disinfection procedures to reduce the risk of bacterial ring rot in potato operations and farms.
Internal Physiological Disorders: Internal Heat Necrosis and Blackheart
Internal physiological disorders reduce the quality and marketability of potatoes. They are not caused by pathogens, rather physiological typically caused by the environmental conditions. Every few years, a plethora of potatoes exhibit internal heat necrosis and blackheart in the Red River Valley. This Extension bulletin discusses management strategies and show what the results of these physiological internal disorder can look like.
Update on Potato Sprout Control
A new Focus on Potato: Update on Potato Sprout Control by Dr. Nora Olsen, University of Idaho. This presentation will update growers and industry personnel in the US on potato sprout control options. Specifically, advances in technology, development of new products and formulations, and coordination of control programs have allowed flexibility and fine-tuning of sprout control in the industry. Variety differences, storage management practices, and consumer expectations have necessitated an integration of ways to minimize sprout development in storage, through the cold chain, and/or in retail displays. General background and specific program options will be discussed. Information provided will help in the development of an individualized integrated program based upon variety, storage conditions, and market.
NFPT 2014 Clone Pictures
Pictures of the potato clones from the National Fry Processing Trial held in East Grand Forks, MN. The purpose of the national variety trial program is to identifying new potato clones suitable for french fry processing. The varieties are from breeding programs throughout the United States and they were grown in Washington, Idaho, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Maine this past year.
The Contributions of Pesticides to Pest Management in Meeting the Global Need for Food Production by 2050
A new paper that considers the growing population and how pesticides can help meet the need for food production by 2050. Along with better pest management, pesticides have led to the development of improved agronomic practices such as no till, conservation tillage, higher plant densities, increased yields, and the efficient use of water and nutrients. When applied in safe, smart ways, pesticides lead to more sustainable agriculture. The authors cite many statistics and specific examples. They point out that more than 800 million people in the world are food insecure today and that the amount of crop yield lost yearly to pests can run upwards of 30%. But they are optimistic about developments occurring around the globe to minimize this loss. When pesticides are effectively applied and fully integrated into a comprehensive approach, the world will be on its way to providing sustenance for the 9 billion humans on earth in 2050.
US Seed Potato Acres Increased 3.8%
US potato seed acres saw in increase in 2014. The largest increase was in North Dakota, Colorado, and Oregon.
Identifying Surface Blemishes on Potato Tubers
The primary blemishes fresh market potato growers face today include black dot, black scurf, scab, silver scurf, unattractive skin color, malformed tubers and other unknown blemish problems. A new webpage, Potato Tuber Blemishes Understanding & Diagnosis, provides some information on these blemishes.
New Focus on Potato: Root Lesion Nematode on Potato
This presentation will help consultants, growers, and other practioners scout and manage root lesion nematodes, the most common nematode pest in most potato fields. This presentation will explain when to be concerned about root lesion nematodes, the interaction of root lesion and Verticillium dahliae for the potato early dying disease, and the options available to maintain population densities of root lesion nematodes below damaging levels. The life cycle of root lesion nematodes will be covered including their remarkable ability to persist without feeding. By the end of this presentation, the practitioner should know more about the root lesion nematode life cycle, be aware of their patchy distribution in the field, understand the importance of managing nematodes throughout the entire rotation, and have a general knowledge of the tools available to do so.
Blightline September 8
No new late blight has been reported in ND, MN or MB the past week. The only confirmed late blight this season was in central MN in processing potatoes, and that was late in the season; fungicides applied and fields killed to reduce late blight spread and severity. We have seen a few samples with bacterial soft rot due to some scattered late August rains, and some common scab. Otherwise, our crop looks very good and is of high quality.
Aphid Alert for week ending Sep. 5
A marked drop in vector numbers with fewer traps reporting as the season closes down. Nate reports that there are still a lot of soybean aphid (87), bird cherry oat (29), and corn leaf (28). Green peach aphids were also captured this week at Forest River, Gully, and Hallock.
Managing Fungicide Resistance in Potato
This presentation will help potato growers, consultants, agribusiness personnel and others associated with the potato industry in North America understand and manage problems associated with fungicide resistance. This presentation will discuss the different modes of action of fungicides currently registered for use on potatoes in the USA, the risks of developing fungicide resistance and practices to minimize the development of fungicide resistance problems in production fields.
Document Actions
