The potato heat units are nearing 300 units and close to possible early blight infection, the July 3 provincial potato report from Manitoba Agriculture’s Vikram Bisht says.
Rains in the western potato growing regions from June 30 to July 1 have been heavier than in eastern parts of the province. Total rainfall is still 35 to 65 per cent below normal, the report notes.
High temperatures of around 32C for a few days has resulted in heat runners in some fields, the report says.
Late blight risk values are medium to low with no late blight spores being trapped in any of the six sites. Early blight spores were trapped in Carberry area. Aphids, but not Potato Aphid or Green Peach Aphid, were trapped in four of the eight seed potato fields. There were European corn borers trapped in three out of 12 sites.
