What Gardeners Can Do to Prevent the Spread of Harmful Potato Pests
Late blight : our # 1 concern!
What is Late Blight?
•Late blight is caused by a fungal-like organism( Phytophthora infestans), which affects solanaceous crops, a plant family that includes potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and petunias
Why is Late Blight a Concern?
It is the most destructive potato disease; it can destroy a potato field in a few days.
•Late blight can easily spread from gardens to commercial fields.
•When late blight is in the area, commercial potato growers are at risk of greater crop losses from disease outbreaks in the field and later when potatoes are in storage
Prevention
•Plant disease -free tomato transplants and seed potatoes.
Always plant certified seed potatoes and never plant potatoes grown in your garden or purchased for eating.
•Minimize humidity in your garden by:
1) growing potatoes and tomatoes in a warm, sunny and well drained area,
2) using a wide spacing between plants,
3) watering the soil (not the foliage)
and, 4) growing plants in raised beds and under plastic tunnels.
•Select varieties with a short growing season to avoid weather conditions favourable to late blight.
PLEASE CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE PDF Potato Disease Brochure
or
For more information
http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/cropprot/hg_guide.htm
http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/cropprot/lateblighthg.htm
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
 2014 Potato Disease Brochure_Final_0.pdf | 1.12 MB |
| 2014 Potato Disease Poster_Final_0.pdf | 1.04 MB |
