![]() ![]() We’re also trying to assess the presence of the pathogen by scouting fields, analyzing samples that come into the disease lab, and trying to catch the leading edge of the disease development here in Massachusetts. We’re tracking the weather conditions as well as we’re able – see the update on disease forecasting in this issue of Vegetable Notes. ![]() Assessing the risk for this season depends on those two things – favorable weather conditions and the presence of the pathogen. Spores survive up to one hour in sunny, dry conditions, and up to 4 hrs in cloudy weather. Favorable conditions for sporulation and areal dispersal are leaf wetness for more than 10 to 12 hours at moderate temperatures 60°-70☏. The 2009 growing season combined highly favorable weather for the disease (cool and moist) with numerous points of inoculation. This explosive growth is what devastated tomato and potato crops in 2009. The danger with this disease is that, under the right weather conditions, the development and spread of the pathogen can be explosive. Late Blight (Phytophthora infestans)Įffective management of this disease is largely dependent on an accurate assessment of risk, and knowing where and when the disease is present is a key component in assessing the risk to your crops. While it’s impossible to determine which pathogen is causing leaf symptoms without a lab confirmation, the information in this article may help you to distinguish a possible late blight infection from some of the other common blights. In any year, early detection and management of late blight is a key factor in minimizing the risk of an epidemic. The 2009 growing season was an excellent example of how bad the disease can be. Given the right weather conditions and an early initial infection, late blight can be a devestating disease on tomato and potato crops. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |