News
2013 Seed Directories for MN and ND available
The 2013 potato seed directories for Minnesota and North Dakota are now available. They include the cultivars grown, acres, and growers.
Aphid Alert - Samples Identified up to August 28th
Extreme vectors numbers in some locations!!! Aphid in several locations showed very high catches in the past week. Traps at Walhalla (101) and Hoople (165) and Staples (102) recovered from 2x to 5x their cumulative season's catch in just 1 week! Other locations also trapping higher numbers of aphid vectors than in past weeks were Cando (13) and Forest River (65), and Crookston (19). Gully recovered high numbers for the second week in a row (40). Non-vector aphid species were also numerous this week, indicating aphid dispersal was quite active.
Blightline August 27, 2013
Current recommendations: No additional late blight has been reported in our area. Late blight severity values have remained mostly unchanged at most locations, and conditions for late blight infection and spread has been unfavorable due to the continuing hot weather. We recommend to continue to scout fields for the presence of late blight and apply protectant fungicide applications until the end of the growing season to prevent late season infection that may occur if the weather becomes favorable for late blight. Concentrate scouting on low areas and along tree lines that stay wetter longer. It takes only 12 hours of wetness for late blight spores to infect.
Aphid Alert for Samples Identified up to August 23
While trap captures were still significant, the numbers captured at many locations were down this week (with 5 locations yet to be sorted and ID'd). The two sites that had increased captures (Gully and Perham) had big increases, in the case of Gully, most of these were bird cherry oat aphids. There were no green peach aphids recovered at this time but soybean aphids were recovered from traps in Hoople, Hatton, Forest River, and Linton, ND and Perham and Staples, MN. in most years, numbers of soybean aphids can be expected to increase and their distribution to broaden later in the season so these numbers are not surprising.
Blightline August 20, 2013
No additional late blight has been reported in our area. Late blight severity values have generally remained stable at all sites, and conditions have not been favorable for late blight infection and spread. It remains important to scout fields for the presence of late blight and continue protectant fungicide applications until the end of the growing season. Concentrate scouting on low areas and along tree lines that stay wetter longer. It takes only 12 hours of wetness for late blight spores to infect
Blightline August 16, 2013
No additional late blight has been reported the past two days in our area since the single find in central MN near St. Cloud. However, late blight has been reported in the Columbia Basin of Washington. Late blight severity values have remained mostly unchanged at all sites, and conditions for late blight infection and spread has been unfavorable in all areas during the past two days. It remains important to scout fields for the presence of late blight and continue protectant fungicide applications until the end of the growing season. Concentrate scouting on low areas and along tree lines that stay wetter longer. It takes only 12 hours of wetness for late blight spores to infect.
Aphid Alert for Trapping Period Ending August 10th
Aphids continue to fly in the Red River Valley and beyond and vector captures increased in several locations this week. Catches in Hoople and Forest River (ND) and Stephen, Crookston, Erskine and Perham (MN) all recovered aphid vectors. Green peach aphids were recovered in the Hoople trap and soybean aphids were recovered in the Forest River, Stephen, Crookston and Perham traps. Cereal aphids continued to be recovered in numbers from most locations. So vector pressure continues - if you have not yet vine killed, then...
Blightline August 14, 2013
No additional late blight has been found or reported in our area since the single find in central MN near St. Cloud. However, late blight has recently been reported in the Columbia Basin of Washington. Late blight severity values have remained mostly unchanged at all sites, and conditions for late blight infection and spread has been unfavorable in all areas during the past two days. It remains important to scout fields for the presence of late blight and continue protectant fungicide applications until the end of the growing season. Concentrate scouting on low areas and along tree lines that stay wetter longer. It takes only 12 hours of wetness for late blight spores to infect.
Blightline August 12, 2013
No additional late blight has been found or reported in our area since the single find in central MN near St. Cloud. The abnormally cool weather has resulted in morning dews, and these conditions are very favorable for late blight infection and spread. It remains important to scout fields for the presence of late blight and continue protectant fungicide applications until the end of the growing season. Concentrate scouting on low areas and along tree lines that stay wetter longer. It takes only 12 hours of wetness for late blight spores to infect.
Aphid Alert for Week Ending August 3rd
The cooler temperatures have slowed population development resulting in lower captures this week but a number of locations are still reporting significant aphid captures. Thankfully, this week we have not yet recovered any green peach aphids or soybean aphids (we still have 4 traps yet to identify from that period). This remains an aphid year and flights are still expecting to continue.
Blightline August 9, 2013
Late blight was identified in a potato field in Sherburne County, Minnesota. The late blight was found in the variety Russet Burbank on the edge of the field near a tree line. The field is being aggressively treated with Curzate, Revus and Gavel fungicides to prevent further spread. The genotype of the isolate is unknown at present. The field scout that found the late blight aware of the favorable late blight conditions of cool weather and long wet periods near the tree line. This is exactly the place where fields should be scouted, and illustrates the necessity of field scouting even if severity values are low. The late blight severity values in most locations continue to accumulate in the past two days as a result of our cool weather, morning dews and sporadic showers.
Use Caution When Spraying Glyphosate near Seed Potatoes
Seed potato plants exposed to low levels of the herbicide glyphosate this year can damage next year’s seed significantly, according to Andy Robinson, North Dakota State University and University of Minnesota Extension potato agronomist.
Blightline August 5, 2013
Late blight has still not been reported in North Dakota, Minnesota or Manitoba. The late blight severity values in most locations increased the past two days as a result of our cool weather, morning dews and sporadic showers, but late blight severity values are low. It is important to continue to scout fields for late blight, especially along tree lines and low areas that may hold moisture longer. The non-irrigated stations that have reached the late blight threshold severity value of 15 are: Ada, Cando, Eldred, Humboldt, Perley, Rolla, Sabin and Warren. The irrigated stations that have reached the late blight threshold value of 15 are: Beach, Hofflund, Inkster, Karlsruhe, Leonard, Linton, Michigan, Minot, Oakes, Robinson and Willliston. We recommend application of the first protectant fungicide when late blight threshold severity value of 15 occurs, just prior to row closure, or if late blight is found in your area, whichever occurs first.
2013 Field Research and NPPGA Field Day
The Northern Plains Potato Grower Association Field Day will be held on Thursday, August 22, 2013. The Field Day will start at 7:00 am in Larimore at Hoverson Farms with breakfast followed by research presentations. Lunch will be served at the Forest River Colony near Inkster, ND at noon. Following lunch a field tour of the irrigated research trials will be given. The last stop will be at Oberg Farms in Hoople and will include research presentations and a BBQ. As in previous years, the potato research and extension activities are occurring throughout North Dakota and Minnesota. The work addresses potato breeding; nutrient management; and disease, insect, and weed pests. The efforts are focused on improving potato production for the North Dakota and Minnesota growers, but also effect production practices throughout the United State and world. Many of the projects are funded by the Northern Plain Potato Growers Association, Minnesota Area II Research and Promotion Council, industry partners, and other funding organizations. We look forward to seeing you at the Northern Plains Potato Grower Association Field Day.
Blightline August 2, 2013
Late blight has still not been reported in North Dakota, Minnesota or Manitoba. There is an unconfirmed report of late blight in southern Alberta. The late blight severity values in most locations increased the past two days as a result of our cool weather, morning dews and sporadic showers, but late blight severity values low. It is important to continue to scout fields for late blight, especially along tree lines and low areas that may hold moisture longer. The non-irrigated stations that have reached the late blight threshold severity value of 15 are: Ada, Cando, Eldred, Humboldt, Perley, Rolla, Sabin and Warren. The irrigated stations that have reached the late blight threshold value of 15 are: Beach, Hofflund, Inkster, Karlsruhe, Leonard, Linton, Michigan, Minot, Oakes and Robinson. We recommend application of the first protectant fungicide when late blight threshold severity value of 15 occurs, just prior to row closure, or if late blight is found in your area, whichever occurs first.
Aphid Alert for week ending July 29th
The number of aphid vectors recovered at many sites decreased this week, however, with the Sturgis Rally right around the corner, we might expect the Sturgis Dispersal Event (coined by Bruce Potter at the SWROC in Lamberton) to bring us soybean aphids in the next 2 weeks. While the name may seem light-hearted, it does accurately describe roughly the timing of a late season movement of soybean aphids (generally late July / early August) that often bring aphids into northern Minnesota, North Dakota, and Manitoba. Soybean aphids have been recovered from several locations (especially Crookston, MN) for the past 3 sampling weeks. Aphid populations are well-established in the region by now, small grains began have been senescing and the traps at many locations have been recovering cereal aphids for several weeks now.
Blightline July 31, 2013
Late blight has still not been reported in North Dakota, Minnesota or Manitoba. All late blight of potatoes and tomatoes reported this year are east of the Mississippi River, including Wisconsin, Michigan, New York and Maine. Our cool weather has resulted in morning dews that favor late blight infection, and our late blight severity values increased slightly at almost all locations the past two days. The non-irrigated stations that have reached the late blight threshold severity value of 15 are: Ada, Cando, Eldred, Humboldt, Perley, Rolla, Sabin and Warren. The irrigated stations that have reached the late blight threshold value of 15 are: Beach, Hofflund, Inkster, Karlsruhe, Leonard, Linton, Michigan, Minot, Oakes and Robinson. We recommend application of the first protectant fungicide when late blight threshold severity value of 15 occurs, just prior to row closure, or if late blight is found in your area, whichever occurs first. Because of the low late pressure fungicide application intervals can be extended to 10-12 days.
Effect of Glyphosate Residues on Daughter Seed Potato Growth
Seed potato plants exposed to glyphosate can translocate the herbicide to the daughter tubers causing symptoms the following year, including erratic and slow emergence, malformed leaves, multiple shoots from a single eye, and/or enlarged shoots. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of glyphosate residues in seed pieces on yield.
Blightline July 29, 2013
Late blight has still not been reported in North Dakota, Minnesota or Manitoba. The cool weather has resulted in morning dews that favor late blight infection, but late blight severity values remain relatively low and were essentially unchanged at all locations. The non-irrigated stations that have reached the late blight threshold severity value of 15 are: Eldred, Humboldt, Perley, Rolla and Sabin. The irrigated stations that have reached the late blight threshold value of 15 are: Beach, Hofflund, Inkster, Karlsruhe, Leonard, Linton, Michigan, Oakes and Robinson. Growers should be ready to apply the first protectant fungicide when late blight threshold severity value of 15 occurs, just prior to row closure, or if late blight is found in your area, whichever occurs first.
Protecting Seed Potatoes From Unintended Herbicides
Growing seed potatoes can be challenging, especially with issues of herbicide carryover in seed pieces. This presentation is intended to give information on how seed potato growers can protect their crop.
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