b"Early blight symptoms.PHOTO: KHALIL AL-MUGHRABIGreen peach aphids are a pest to watch this growing season following substantial aphid population increases last year. Al-Mughrabi speculates that shifting weather patterns will make it easier for the pest to successfully overwinter, something it hasnt really been able to do before.Growers were encouraged to use oils in addition to insecticides in order to kill the aphids and reduce the spread of PVY [potato virus Y] in potato fields, he says. Insecticides alone will not stop the spread of the virus via aphid vectors.Prince Edward IslandIsland farmers experienced a dry, cool start to 2023 but ended with very wet harvest conditions. In fact, Ryan Barrett, research and agronomy specialist with the P.E.I. Potato Board, says it was the wettest growing season on record in the Charlottetown region of the province. Certain farmers were still harvesting as late as Nov. 10.As spring planting approaches, Barrett says farmers should watchMosaic symptoms of PVY.PHOTO: KHALIL AL-MUGHRABIfor volunteer potatoes, especially if winter conditions stay mild. Volunteer diseases include late blight and PVY (potato virus Y).If we get a couple of good cold snaps and some good frost in thegetting better and better and more sophisticated all the time at ground, that will be less of an issue, he says. managing those things.Once the year begins, however, managing disease and pestBarrett cautions growers to watch for Colorado potato beetle, pressures will largely be a matter of watching changing climaticespecially as they have demonstrated resistance to neonicotinoid conditions and responding quickly if an issue presents itself. Thisseed treatments. Thankfully, farmers have several pesticide group proved a challenge for many in 2023. options for control.This past year, growers just couldn't get sprays on at the timeWireworm levels are trending down. A contributing factor to that they wanted because the weather wasn't good. That led to somethis positive trend is rotational changes in many fields, and the issues with early blight and brown spot in some varieties, Barrettincreasing planting of specific crops such as buckwheat and brown says. The good news, he adds, is that, increasingly, growers aremustard. 12SPUDSMART.COMSpring 2024"