Topic: Blight resistance

[Robert_Brenchley]

This year I got blight really badly on my Charlotte, so I won't be growing that one again. The Cara right next to it only showed the odd blemish, so without the Charlotte it might have got through. PFA didn't show any symptoms, but it was rubbish anyway; I think I put it in a slightly wetter spot and the seed rotted. I've checked up and Cara is definitely fairly resistant. I don't know about PFA, but I'll be growing those two again.

Which varieties have you been finding to be resistant or particularly susceptible?

[delboy]

Sante has been good at resisting for the past 2 years.

Kestrel comes out around the end of July here in Surrey and has never suffered.

[Digitalis]

My King Edwards had shown signs of blight so I cut them right down. I dug them up yesterday and they are a lot smaller than I hoped for (obviously). The blight appeared despite the regular application of Dithane.

[Flighty]

My plot neighbour was digging up several varities today and the only one which showed no signs of blight or slug damage was Kestrel.

[powerspade]

The past two seasons I suffered bad attacks of blight so this year I planted Cara as it was supposed to be blight resistant. Today I popped down the plot to pick peas for dinner and found every row of Cara blighted. :'(  Funny though the 2 rows of spuds I planted from sprouters left in the veggie basket which where bought in Asdas are looking great

[Robert_Brenchley]

King edwards are 'moderately susceptible' according to this site: http://www.potato.org.uk/department/export_and_seed/seed_variety_database/index.html . Bad luck with the Cara; it's got a fair bit of resistance from what I can make out, but it's not immune. Kestrel sounds like one to try next year.

[Ishard]

Robert have you harvested your PFA now? Im not even gonna look at mine untill October as they are such a long growing spud.

Most of my spuds so far are blight free, they are PFA, Cara, Kestrel, charlotte had already been harvested and I have a lot of last years spuds growing that I missed.

[RobinOfTheHood]

I've had Charlotte, Picasso and Desiree hit by blight, the Sarpo Mira and Axona (saved from last year) are right next to them and heading for the sky, with the odd blemish here and there but going strong.

I may just stick to Sarpo only for the maincrop next year.

[saddad]

I feel blight resistance is a bit like the holy grail... a search rather than a destination.
 

Cara is definitely fairly resistant. I don't know about PFA

PFA must be fairly resistant it's been grown since mid-Victorian times. New varieties often have good resistance for a few years... often as long as a decade...  :-\

[Robert_Brenchley]

I haven't looked at the PFA yet. I'm not hopeful. A lot of them never came up - I think they must have been in a damp patch, as I' had seed rotting in the ground last year. Then it had to be cut back early. I haven't looked at Cara either, but I need to check as I want spuds to enter for the show on Sunday.

[Digeroo]

All my potatoes and tomatoes on my allotment got blight a couple of weeks ago.  Forgot to bring some pots home so went to raid the garden. 

Resistant desiree volunteers still not blighted.  Still got green leaves.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Officially, Desiree only has moderate resistance. It may be better than the figures make it look. Be ruthless with volunteers, that's how the disease overwinters. It only takes one infected plant to start a new outbreak.

[RSJK]

2 rows of Cara 1 blighted and 1 not....rows side by side

[cornykev]

I've never heard of anyone getting blight on our site with spuds only on the toms, my Kestrels never show signs of any damage.   ;D ;D ;D

[ceres]

Same here corny, on our site we never get blight on spuds, only on toms.  Must be a Middlesex thing!