b"Teaming Up to Stop PEDThere is hope for a great leap forward in PED disease prevention thanks to the work of the Canadian PED Network.BY: MARK HALSALLTWO YEARS AGO, a team of potato scientists and researchers fromgood about the project in terms of what we've been able to accomplish, across Canada launched a comprehensive study aimed at reducingespecially considering COVID-19, explains Tenuta.the impact of Potato Early Dying (PED) diseasea long-establishedTenuta says the impact of pandemic has been particularly acute in the yield robber which has become an even bigger headache for growers inarea of testing and analysis, as many of the laboratories participating in recent years.the project have been operating at a reduced capacity. This disease is widespread in most potato growing areas in Canada. ItWe've been able to still continue with the field work, which has been is a big concern to commercial potato producers as it impacts marketablefantastic, he adds. I'm really looking forward to this coming year, be-yield, says Khalil Al-Mughrabi, a pathologist at the Potato Developmentcause I think we'll be able to get laboratory work in as well field work and Centre with the New Brunswick Department of Agriculture, Aquaculturebe able to process a lot of the analysis over the fall and winter.and Fisheries, who is also one of the researchers working on the PEDPotato Early Dying is actually a complex of diseases, primarily Verticillium project.wilt, but also associated with nematodes and possibly black dot, which affect Dubbed the Canadian PED Network or CanPEDNet, the project is slatedpotato yield and quality by causing early senescence and death. to continue for another two years, but there are already some things com- One aspect of CanPEDNet research is surveying soils from potato fields ing out from it which growers can get excited about. These include: across the country to identify and measure pathogens and pests associ- T he prospect of a much faster method for identifying and quantifyingated with PED. Tenuta says the research shows PED is mainly caused by PED pathogens in the field the fungus Verticillium dahliae and a root lesion nematode in central and The establishment of region-specific thresholds for applying PEDAtlantic Canada, Pratylenchus penetrans, although there are some other control products pathogens, such as Colletotrichum, Fusarium and Phytophthora, which Direction on the best cultural practices that growers can use tocan be involved. complement and strengthen their chemical control strategies Fumigation is a popular method for controlling verticillium and root Mario Tenuta, a soil science expert at the University at Manitoba, is thelesion nematodes, and there are a number of available fungicides and project lead for CanPEDNet. CanPEDNet involves dozens of researchersnematicides which can be used as well. from the public, private and university sectors and is supported by numer- According to Tenuta, an important aspect of CanPEDNet is determining ous grower and industry organizations. region-specific thresholds for PED management measures, so growers It's a very important issue. We really do need to get ahead on thishave a more precise way of knowing if and when to take corrective action disease, and we need to increase our potato yields as well. I feel reallyagainst the disease. Potato fieldinfected with Potato Early Dying disease. PHOTO: KHALILAL-MUGHRABI16 SPUDSMART.COM SPRING 2021"