Manitoba potato harvest is in full swing, and according to Vikram Bisht, plant pathologist, Potato and Horticultural Crops with Manitoba Agriculture, seven-day accumulated disease severity values (DSVs) at various weather stations suggest the risk for late blight is generally low.
“Many of the infected leaves are not showing sporulation on the underside,” says Bisht in his weekly potato disease report.
The current weather forecast is for possible rains and cloudy conditions in the coming few days.
There was a potential for frost in some areas on Manitoba’s potato growing regions. Manitoba Agriculture-AgWeather program will prepare maps when a frost warning is needed. According to Bisht, average date of frost for most of the potato growing areas appears to be around the third week of September
In the meantime, Bisht says wet spots in a field should be either left in the field or harvested at the end of that field so the tubers are at the front of the bin and easily accessed if need arises.
For Manitoba Potato Weather Network maps, visit http://mbpotatoes.ca/weather.cfm.
