b'C anadianP otatoC ounCilcross over into the potato crop, Mary Kay Sonier, seed coordinator for the P.E.I. Potato Board, says in a phone interview.In the years since, there has been a push by the potato industry to encour-age home gardeners to buy tomato varieties which are resistant to late blight strains such as US23. Through Peters teams work collecting late blight samples and analyzing them, they have been able to create a road map that identifies which late blight strains are present across the country.By knowing which strain is more prevalent in your region it helps you know if the strains are more destructive or more aggressive on the foliage as opposed to the tubers, or if theyre equally aggressive, Sonier explains. The research results also help to inform growers on which tools are most effective against the different strains.WHAT THE STRAINS DOWhile knowing which strain is present is important, its also critical to know what the strain does and how growers can protect their crops against it.Different late blight strains have different characteristics, Peters explains. Some strains affect tomatoes more than potatoes. Others like conditions to be a little warmer and some like cooler, wetter conditions. The late blight team is also looking at how sensitive strains are to the fungicidal controls farmers use.Were hoping that by the end of (this cluster project), well have some good options for growers to manage the disease given the changing dynamics of it, Peters says. Not only what chemical controls (there are), but whatLate blight in a potato field. WINTER 2021 SPUDSMART.COM 37'