b"populations of Colorado potato beetles (CPBs), non-target effects and environmental contamination. The resistance poses a threat for the rapid and repeated potential emergence of insensitivity to organic insecticides on CPBs.We've moved through many of the major classes of insecticides with significantly increasing number of insects becoming resistant to each of these different classes, Emma Terris, a masters student at the University of Wisconsin - Madison, explained during her presentation. Today we have more than 853 resistant insects to at least one class of insecticidesthis is a significant problem for growers.To evaluate the CPB resistance, dose-response assays and RNA sequencing tests were done by the research team of Terris, Russell Groves and Sean Schoville. The research showed diverse and infrequent pesticide use is results in slower development of CPBs resistance and less risk of cross-resistance among different compounds on potato farms.Treating Common Scab and Early Blight with Thiamin Thiamin, also commonly referred to as vitamin B1, is a water-soluble vitamin produced naturally in plants. In previous studies it has been shown to activate plant immunity in several species and can effectively control fungal, bacterial and viral diseases.In each of these examples, plants that were treated with a thiamin foliar application had reduced disease severity or incidence compared to plants that were treated with a mock solution of just water and a surfactant. What we don't know is whether this works in potato, Trent Berrian, botany and plant pathology master's student at Oregon State University, said during his presentation. Emma Terris, a masters student at the University ofDuring the project, potatoes were applied with thiamin and testedWisconsinMadisonagainst Streptomyces spp. that causes common scab and Alternaria solani which causes early blight. The research team of Berrian, Christopher Clarke and Aymeric Goyer used two common scab susceptible potato varieties, Huckleberry Gold and Purple Viking, in their trials.Potatoes were planted in a field with high disease pressure in a randomized block design with 20 plants per treatment and four replicates. Leaves were sprayed with 30 millilitres of thiamin or a mock solution during tuberization every other week for nine weeks. In a greenhouse Purple Viking was also planted in pots with a known number of bacteria and given thiamin through a foliar spray or soil drench weekly until harvest. At harvest, tubers were scored for disease incidence and severity. There was no difference between thiamin treated and the mock controls in field trials with foliar application. However, drench treatments done in greenhouse trials showed a reduction of disease severity.For early blight, leaves of five- to seven-week-old Russet Norkotahs were grown in a greenhouse and sprayed with thiamin or a mock solution. The leaflets were detached, drop inoculated with 20,000 to 30,000 spores per millilitre of Alteraria solani and incubated for three days at 22C under a 10-hour photo period. There was a 32 to 52 per cent decrease in lesion area following 10 millimolar thiamin applications compared to mock controls.Trent Berrian, botany and plant pathology masters student at Berrian noted this indicates thiamin might be effective forOregon State Universitydecreasing disease symptoms. SPUDSMART.COMFall 202325"