The Department of Agriculture and Forestry released the first of its weekly potato pest alert updates today. It reports that lack of rainfall and relative humidities below 90 percent have kept the late blight weather index low to very low across the province. Rain forecasted for Friday coupled with cooler temperatures are not expected to change the index to any great extent.
Growers should be vigilant in eliminating their cull piles and volunteer potato plants. Assistance is available for cull burial and for further information contact Dave Aiton at 368-4044.
Both potato flea beetle and the Colorado potato beetle are now present in fields. The first Colorado egg masses will start to hatch in the coming week. Growers may want to consider one insecticide for both pests.
The Aphid Alert program will begin on June 21.
For more information contact the following: Crop production recommendation, Peter Boswall, 368-5602; Disease identification, Marleen Clark, 836-8922; Pest Management, Rachael Cheverie, 368-6573.
The Potato Pest Alert hotline can be reached 24 hours a day at 368-5658 or toll free at 1-800-658-1805.