Potatoes
Potatoes have many serious insect and disease pests. Late blight can be a devastating disease, capable of completely destroying an unprotected crop within 3 weeks in wet weather, and rotting the tubers. Late blight was the major cause of the Irish Potato Famine. It also affects tomatoes. New, more virulent strains of late blight fungus began showing up 20 years ago and the disease has been harder to predict and control ever since. Early blight is a common fungal disease on both potatoes and tomatoes which survives over-winter in the soil. Colorado potato beetles can cause serious defoliation if crops are not rotated up to a quarter mile from where they, tomatoes or eggplant were previously planted. They can rapidly become resistant to commonly used insecticides. Tiny, sucking leafhoppers move up from the south each June on weather systems, and can cause severe leaf burn and yield reduction. Aphids can also be a production problem as well as carrying viral diseases that can affect potatoes grown from saved seed.
Small-Scale Fresh Market Potato Variety Trial Results
Margie Lund, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program
This year, the Cornell Vegetable Program planted a potato variety trial focused on commercially available fresh market potato varieties, with the small-scale potato grower in mind. This trial allowed us to test different varieties of potatoes that might be of interest to consumers at farm markets and see how well they perform in a western NY climate. In this overview, we share overall yield results from the trial as well as some details on some stand out varieties.
Late Blight Sample Collection and Submission to Cornell
Margie Lund, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program
If late blight is detected or suspected on your farm, and you cannot get a sample to a Cornell Vegetable Program staff member in a day or two, you should submit your sample to Chris Smart's lab at Cornell. Instructions for reporting and sampling are provided.
Potato Variety Trial, 2017
The CCE Eastern NY Commercial Horticulture Program evaluated 21 varieties of potatoes in 2017 in white skin lines, red skin lines, yellow flesh lines, specialty lines, and russets.
Video: New York State Produce Auctions
Currently, there are 8 produce auctions in New York State. These auctions are aggregation points that allow local farmers to sell their produce in wholesale lots to buyers from across the region. To document the economic impact of produce auctions on agriculture, local businesses, family farms, and produce buyers, the Cornell Vegetable Program worked with Harvest New York to survey top sellers and buyers.
A new Cornell Vegetable Program video shares general information about produce auctions, how buyers and sellers use the auctions to expand their businesses, and how local communities benefit from them.
Growing for Wholesale: Vegetable Grading/Sizing Templates
Robert Hadad, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program
To further assist farmers looking to sell into the wholesale markets, the Cornell Vegetable Program has put together some helpful tools. The tools provided here consist of a color photo guide highlighting the grades of some of the most common vegetables grown for wholesale market in WNY. To aid in the visualization of the grading sizes, the templates are available here for you to print off. These are scaled to size and can be used to create sizing templates to be used by workers on the wash and pack lines.
2017 NYS Certified Seed Potato Crop Directory
The 2017 NYS Certified Seed Potato Crop Directory is now available. There is a wealth of information on NYS potato seed certification, as well as on the varieties grown for certification in 2017.
Organic Production Guides
Robert Hadad, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program
Organic Production Guides for fruits, vegetables and dairy are available through the NYS Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program. They outline general practices for growing vegetable and fruit crops using organic integrated pest management techniques.
Video: Flea Beetles
Flea beetles are a common vegetable pest affecting peppers, cucurbits, sweet potato, potato, peas, beans, beets, tomato, corn, turnip, pumpkin, melon, eggplant, and others. This short video gives you some general information about this pest.
Best Management Practices for Dickeya in Potato Production in the Northeast
Potato seed tubers harboring Dickeya dianthicola are the only confirmed source of this pathogen. It does not appear to be able to survive in soil (including in crop debris) from one growing season to the next. Consequently, rotating with a non-susceptible crop is not a necessary component of the management program. Best management practices listed in the PDF are encouraged to minimize potential losses from Dickeya.
North American Certified Seed Potato Health Certificate (NACSPHC)
Carol MacNeil, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program
The emergence of Potato Virus Yntn, which causes tuber necrotic ringspot disease (TNRD) in susceptible varieties, and the emergence of blackleg Dickeya, both serious seed-borne diseases, are very important reasons why you need to get a copy of the North American Certified Seed Potato Health Certificate (NACSPHC) for each lot of potato seed you buy.
Canadian and European Varieties for the Fresh Market
2014 Upstate New York Potato Variety Trial Report
from D. E. Halseth, E. R. Sandsted, and J. M. Kelly, Horticulture, Cornell:
Potato variety yield trials were conducted in four counties in upstate New York in 2014 in which a total of 30 named varieties and 206 breeding lines were evaluated.
Control of Colorado Potato Beetle & Insecticide Resistance Management
Carol MacNeil, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program
The CPB is known for its ability to quickly develop resistance to insecticides. There are alternatives to insecticides for managing CPB, but for growers with large fields and a limited ability to rotate fields, insecticides remain key.
Diagnosis and Management of Potato Tuber Diseases
Carol MacNeil, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program
A seven page color fact sheet on the Diagnosis and Management of Potato Storage Diseases is now available online from the University of Idaho. The diseases covered are those which NYS potato growers often find themselves dealing with: pink rot, Pythium leak, late blight, Fusarium dry rot, bacterial soft rot, silver scurf, black dot, and early blight. In addition to assisting with the proper identification of the diseases, there is information on sanitation of equipment and the storage, and recommendations on how to hold lots with some disease if you can't sell them immediately.
Determining Late Blight Sensitivity to Ridomil Takes Time
Carol MacNeil, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program
The % LB diseased foliage in a field significantly affects how well any fungicide works against it. On September 16, 2013, Bill Fry, Cornell said, "Years ago we did experiments on the effect of timing of Ridomil on the suppression of LB [on a sensitive LB strain]. The treatments included metalaxyl/Ridomil, mancozeb, or no fungicide. We initiated applications at ~0.5% disease or at 2-5% diseased [foliage]. The effects of Ridomil were apparent within a day or two, but the effects of mancozeb were not visible for at least one week. LB increased explosively in the mancozeb and untreated plots for the first week. Subsequently, mancozeb did slightly suppress disease relative to the water control. The effect of Ridomil was dramatically different with an immediate observable effect in [reducing disease development]. Nonetheless, the amount of disease in the Ridomil plots continued to increase gradually for the next four weeks. When we initiated Ridomil applications at 0.5% disease the final level of disease was less, and the rate at which disease increased was less, than when we began at 2-5% diseased foliage. There was inoculum from other plots that probably contributed to increased LB. Thus, once disease is established, it's really difficult to totally stop this pathogen. I suspect that given the wet weather and favorable conditions we've had recently, any fungicide may have been challenged."
Application Equipment for Potato Post-Harvest Disease Control
Carol MacNeil, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program
Late blight, caused by Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary, and pink rot, caused by Phytophthora erythroseptica Pethybr., are two devastating potato tuber diseases. These pathogens regularly cause storage losses in potato production systems. While these pathogens, especially P. infestans, spread rapidly in the field, there can also be substantial tuber-to-tuber spread during mechanical harvesting and tuber transfer procedures. With these diseases present in the field, storage losses well beyond what would be expected can occur based on the pathogen level in the field. Learn more about how to control diseases following potato harvest in this University of Maine Extension publication.
O-zone Injury on Vegetables
Crystal Stewart-Courtens, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Hot, humid weather with stagnant air masses may lead to ozone damage on crops. Ozone warnings were recently issued for much of New York. These warnings are intended for people with respiratory problems and let them know they should limit their outdoor activity and try to stay as much as possible in air-conditioned locations. These warning are also a good indicator that ozone damage may occur in plants.
Nightshade Management Reduces Crop Loss
Julie Kikkert, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program
Depending on the crop, nightshade can reduce crop yields, harbor diseases, and cause crops to be rejected by processors. Learn about the species of nightshades in NY, physiological differences between them, emergence and growth information, and control strategies.
Buckwheat Strips to Attract Beneficial Insects in Potato Production
Robert Hadad, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program
Download a report of field plot strategies for using buckwheat strips to attract beneficial insects for the control of Colorado potato beetle in potato production (2009/2010). This project was funded by the Organic Farming Research Federation.
Upcoming Events
Intro to Food Safety and GAPs Training
February 19, 2025
via Zoom,
This virtual workshop will serve two purposes:
- For produce farms just interested in learning about farm food safety, this program will introduce principles and best practices.
- For produce farms look for a GAPs (Good Agricultural Practices) training needed to meet buyer demands for audit/certification, this program will provide that as well.