Idaho To Hold Potato Pest Management Field Day

University of Idaho Extension researchers predict prolonged heat stress will increase pressure from a couple of economically important diseases affecting Idaho potatoes this growing season.  To help address these concerns, UI will hold an Integrated Pest Management Field Day Thursday August 21st at the Aberdeen Research and Extension Center.

“I decided we needed a late-season field day that highlighted some of the disease issues we have seen in potatoes that we weren’t able to see in the early season,” said UI Extension seed potato pathologist Kasia Duellman. “This is a great time of year to start seeing what’s happening in the foliage, and it also gives people a chance to see some of the late season impacts on other crops like mustard, sugarbeets and quinoa that we might be highlighting at the Aberdeen station.”

Thursday's Field Day Is Expected To Be Well Attended

School officials say during Thursday’s Field Day, researchers and industry members will inspect disease symptoms in research plots and address management approaches.  The field day is free to attend.  Registration starts at 8:30 a.m., with the program starting at 9 a.m.

Here are the topics and research projects scheduled to be covered during Thursday's Field Day:

• Integrated disease management of verticillium wilt
• Managing powdery scab and common scab
• Integrated management of potato virus Y
• Management of rhizoctonia diseases
• Spore traps to monitor for pathogens as part of an integrated disease management plan,
• Cercospora leaf spot in sugarbeets,
• Herbicidal weed control in potatoes and quinoa
• Sustainable practices in SE Idaho and cereal-pea intercropping systems
• Optimization of different herbicides for weed management in yellow, brown and oriental mustard and an integrated approach for managing fusarium dry rot in storage

Pesticide applicator and certified crop adviser recertification credits will be awarded.  It’s estimated that up to 50 participants will be at Thursday’s Field Day.

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