News
Spud Scoop August 14, 2020
Hi and welcome to Spud Scoop! Late blight was confirmed in Wisconsin and genotyped as US-23. No late blight spores were found in the traps this week. Aphid numbers took an even bigger jump this week with the vector numbers and the PVY Vector Risk Index tripling over last week. A number of efficient vectors were found at most locations, including Green Peach Aphids being recovered from both the Crookston and Hoople traps.
Spud Scoop August 7
Hi and welcome to Spud Scoop this week. No late blight has been reported in potato fields, however weather conditions are favorable for late blight and late spores have been found in Lake Bronson, Oakes and Perham. Keep scouting for late blight. If you have any leaves, you’d like tested for late blight let Gary Secor or Andy Robinson know. Early blight is becoming more prevalent. Aphid numbers have doubled over last week, causing the PVY Vector Risk Index to more than double this week. The good news is PVY Risk Index values are less than half what they were at this time last year. This continues to be a low aphid year, but it only takes a few aphids to move inoculum around in a field. Harvest season is here. Our red and yellow-skinned potato trials are sizing up well. The favorable planting conditions and warm weather has encouraged rapid tuber growth. Some early russets were harvested this week including we harvested an early russet research potato trial. The value of herbicides, from one of our research plots can be seen below, you can see where herbicide treatment was and was not applied.
Spud Scoop July 31, 2020
Welcome to this week’s Spud Scoop. Late blight severity values continue to rise, but no late blight has been reported and no DNA was found in spore traps this week. Aphid numbers are down from last week but are more widely distributed. The warm temperatures are causing tuber sets to be lower and as a result, tubers are sizing rapidly. As an example, a tuber from an early planted research trial was nearly 24 ounces. Heat stress is also causing cracking and secondary growth. In general, the crop is progressing well, and harvest is getting into full swing for fresh growers in central Minnesota. Have a spudtacular week!
Spud Scoop July 24, 2020
Welcome to this week’s Spud Scoop! It’s been a week of warming temperatures and more rainfall in many areas. In general, the potato crop seems to be progressing well. Weather conditions continue to be favorable for late blight, as can be seen in late blight model severity values increasing this week. Late blight spore DNA was identified in the Lisbon, ND trap. Some things I have noticed this week as a result of the heat is that tuber sets seem to be lower, causing the remaining tubers to size up quickly. As a result of hot temperatures, I have seen Red Norland tubers have knobs or bumps developing on them. Nitrogen stress is showing up really nicely in our research trials. Symptoms of nitrogen stress is yellowing or chlorosis of lower leaves and reduced plant size.
Spud Scoop July 17, 2020
Welcome to this week’s Spud Scoop. The Potato crop is progressing well with some challenges from the weather. Hot temperatures are initiating heat sprouts to form, producing rapid development of Colorado Potato Beetles and encouraging thunderstorms. Excessive rainfall in the Red River Valley is likely causing iron deficiency chlorosis (IDC) of some potato varieties. This is similar to the IDC often observed in soybean. With soils drying down I have observed plants growing out the IDC with new green leaves forming.
Special Late Blight Spore Trapping Network report for June 29 - July 6
Two sites had positive confirmation of late blight spore DNA in this first report of 2020. Late blight has not been confirmed in any potato fields.
Spud Scoop July 3, 2020
NDSU Extension and University of Minnesota are excited to introduce a growing season newsletter that will combine information for potato growers. Welcome to Spud Scoop. Late blight has not been reported in ND, MN or MB. The number of herbicide injury problems in potato have been more commonplace. Aphid trap capture overall was very low with few aphids being recovered in traps.
Potato Blightline 27 June 2020
Late blight has not been reported in ND, MN or MB. Accumulated late blight severity values remain low in single digits, except for extreme northwestern MN where severity values have reached the threshold value of 15.
Potato Blightline 20 June 2020
This is the first issue of the 2020 NDSU Potato Blightline. There have been some changes to the Blightline this year. The telephone hotline is not available, but the Blightline will be sent to our list serve recipients and be available at http://z.umn.edu/spud. Late blight severity values and maps are still available on NDAWN as in the past at https://ndawn.ndsu.nodak.edu/potato-late-blight.html.
2019 Crop Year Research Reports
The 2019 potato crop year research reports from Minnesota Area II Potato Research and Promotion Council and the Northern Plains Potato Growers Association are available. Research covers research completed in 2019 in potato production for North Dakota and Minnesota.
Herbicide Injury in Potato
Herbicide injury in potato can originate from herbicide residues in seed tubers, soil carryover of herbicides and exposure of the leaves to herbicides during the growth of the plant. As a result, potatoes can have poor emergence, chlorosis, necrosis, growth reduction, misshapen tubers, reduced yield and nonacceptable residues. Injury symptoms can be expresses in the foliage and/or tubers. This poster is intended to help diagnosis injury in potato.
Plant Back of Non-Certified Seed Potato Tubers in North Dakota and Minnesota (A1946)
From time to time there are shortages in the seed supply and some growers want to plant back non-certified seed. The objective of this article is to cover these rules for North Dakota and Minnesota and discuss how to select the best seed tubers.
Schedule for Research Reporting Conference and International Crop Expo
The schedules for the NPPGA Research Reporting Conference and the International Crop Expo is available. We look forward to discussing potato production with the potato growers and industry at these events.
North Dakota Fresh Market Potato Cultivar/Selection Trial Results for 2019
This article contains the results of the 2019 non-irrigated red- and yellow-skinned trials. Trials were conducted near Hoople, ND in a commercial field. The cultivars or advanced selections grown were selected based on grower interest and industry needs.
Keep Calm and Keep Eating Potatoes
The French fry supply is being questioned if it will cause a shortage this year. Most years a surplus of potatoes are produced, but it seems this year's supply is much tighter. There was an estimated 93% of potatoes harvested in the United States. There's no need to panic. My advice, keep calm and keep eating potatoes.
Tater Talk: Fresh Potato Results 2019
Come learn about the different advanced selections and cultivars of red and yellow potatoes we tested this year. Date: December 6, 2019 Time: 10:00 -12:00 pm Location: NPPGA Office, 420 Business Hwy. 2, East Grand Forks, MN
Effect of potato tubers left in the field on the 2020 crop
With the large amount of potato tubers left in the ground, there have been many asking how this will influence the 2020 crop. Because potatoes are about 80% water, they will freeze in the ground and typically stay frozen until spring, storing nutrients and water until the next growing season. Potato plants take in a large amount of nutrients, when compared to other row crops. To estimate the amount of nutrients that could be left in the soil for 2020, take into account the expected yield (Table 1).
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