Impact of late blight disease on rows of conventional potatoes (left) and Innate™ Gen 2 potatoes (right) in Michigan as seen in this Nov 2015 photo. (J.R. Simplot Company)
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Despite the recent dry weather, the highly-problematic potato disease late blight was found in central Aroostook County.
According to University of Maine Cooperative Extension crops specialist Jim Dwyer, potato late blight was recently found in a central Aroostook County potato field.
The reported disease was in a single location and the field has been vine-killed, Dwyer said.
“We strongly encourage all growers to be carefully scouting for potato late blight at this time.”
Aside from the report of late blight, the disease famous for its contribution to the Irish potato famine, this year’s potato crop “looks excellent,” Dwyer wrote in the Extension’s recent potato grower’s newsletter.
