b'Potatoes made easyTracking your potato data is easier than ever.Enter your information once and stay in sync with your agronomist and processors. Auto-fill and store your food safetyFatemeh Ekbataniamiri, a masters student at the University of Maine, who program forms. And a lot more.researched if black leg and soft rot pathogens were in surface water in Maine. PHOTO: FATEMEH EKBATANIAMIRIUse AgExpert Field Premium for your potato production. Just $399 a year. ARE THERE BLACK LEG AND SOFT ROT PATHOGENS IN SURFACE WATER?Black leg and soft rot (BSR) in potatoes can cause significant losses. Fatemeh AgExpert.ca Ekbataniamiri, a masters student at the University of Maine, looked into the role of surface water in harboring and spreading BSR pathogens in Maine, she presented her findings at the PAA meeting.Water samples were collected from 23 different sites across Maine between 2018 to 2020. Genomic DNA was extracted from the water and analyzed for the presence of BSR pathogens using polymerase chain reaction. Representative bacteria were isolated and examined in pathogenicity on potatoes using tuber inoculation and stem injection.At least five BSR species were detected and isolated from water, including Dickeya dianthicola, D. zeae, D. aquatica, Pectobacterium parmentieri and D. dadantii. The results showed all these BRS species were pathogenic on potato and D. aquatica strain 174/2 was a highly pathogenic species.For more information on this research and to get in touch with Ekbat-aniamiri visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fatemeh-ea-4a89291ab/ 22 SPUDSMART.COM FALL 2020'