AgronomyCool Weather and Stem Elongation

Cool Weather and Stem Elongation

-

In 2017, the season started with a cool spring, but not quite as cool or wet as this spring. That year, I observed abnormal stem elongation in June that affected Superiors and a processing variety.

A colleague at North Carolina State University saw the same thing. It was clearly physiological, but the cause wasn’t obvious. We concluded that cool weather had this effect on a few varieties. The plants grew out of it in about ten days.

Yesterday, I found patches in a field of Superior with the same symptoms, just before I got chased out of the field by more rain. In 2017, the sprouts were elongated but green; this season, the stems are dark purplish-brown and the leaves are yellowish.  This may be due to poor phosphorus uptake in cold soils.  It could also be due to linuron damage.  Gibberellic acid was not used on the seed.

I spoke with the grower yesterday, and we both expect that the Superiors will grow out of what is probably a physiological problem.  I plan to monitor the field closely.

Stem Elongation in 2017. Photo: Eugenia Banks
Elongated, dark stems in 2019. Photo: Eugenia Banks
Stem elongation in a field of Superiors in 2019. Photo: Eugenia Banks

Trending This Week

Building Resilience: What Role Does the CPC Play in Canada’s Potato Industry?

Canadian potato growers today must continue to evolve amid a changing agricultural landscape, where sustainable practices and technological innovation are imperative for success. Understanding these...

Manitoba Potato Industry: Grounded in Pride

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iC0Ie-KRLSY   With a record-setting 650 attendees and a program packed with timely information for growers, the 52nd annual Manitoba Potato Production Days was certainly one...

Market Update – January

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4zX_MQC37A The latest Canadian Potato Storage Holdings report won't be released until mid February, but Spud Smart editor Dawn Ius and UPGC General Manager Victoria...

Making the Right Variety Choices with Data and Expertise

0
This is a busy time of year. The holidays are behind us and you’re deep in the process of planning for the upcoming season....

How to Grow More with Less

0
As the potato industry embraces regenerative agriculture, sustainability is becoming more than just a goal: it’s an expectation. Processors and buyers are setting ambitious...