just a heads up to say that I have dug up all my lady christl, my only potatoes this year. Some have shown signs of tuber blight, I am assuming remaining in the seed potatoes from last year. 7 plants with signs and 35 good, some signs hidden under the soil. I have started to preserve the whole crop as they will only keep a couple of weeks. I am not blaming the seller at all, I think they slipped through the growers net last year
Seems very early to have blight in the tubers. Any signs on the foliage?
I had some blight after my wife 'helped' me doing weeding between the rows while I wasn't watching!
A bit early for blight I'd say, I've not heard of any blight/smith warnings, maybe the tubers were diseased, any piccies.
blight or rot hidden and lurking in seed pots from last year, lady christl was unavailable very quickly and I presume that this was the reason. A few had collapsed tops and a few slimey potatoes underneath. While cleaning potatoes I noticed a few with early signs and one cut in two had rot inside working outwards.
Maybe dry rot
http://www.fera.defra.gov.uk/plants/publications/documents/potatoInform/informSpecialIssue1109.pdf
whatever it was, I wasn`t going to be taking any chances
I wonder if it might be Blackleg? http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/profile.aspx?pid=223
Google images https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=potato+blackleg&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=Gi7NUf_QHfOa0QW72YGQAQ&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1920&bih=955
I've had only one blight alert warning text this year for my postcode area in east sussex- on 13th June- seemed to get them every day last summer.
what I am saying is that the rot came from the seed potato and was lurking within, not surprising seeing that the growers had a terrible time. Not black rot, foliage and stems looked perfect just before collapsing. Anyway, it is all in and I am very busy preserving in the best way I can for first earlies ie part cooked and then finished by roasting in a coating of olive oil, then open freezing and bagging. They will be good for months now
just back from doing my stint on the allotment during village garden open day. A knowledgeable visitor pointed to someone potatoes and said `ah blight` and I had not said a single solitary word about blight. So YES is was blight and is spreading. Another neighbour came back from a month away and her spuds started collapsing before mine, she is also disappointed but philosophical like me
Quote from: strawberry1 on June 27, 2013, 19:12:44
just a heads up to say that I have dug up all my lady christl, my only potatoes this year. Some have shown signs of tuber blight, I am assuming remaining in the seed potatoes from last year. 7 plants with signs and 35 good, some signs hidden under the soil. I have started to preserve the whole crop as they will only keep a couple of weeks. I am not blaming the seller at all, I think they slipped through the growers net last year
Sorry your spuds have been infected, it's a saddening sight. Although what you describe does not sound typical of Late Blight, first signs are usually spotted on the leaves which then spreads to the stems. Spores can then infect tubers. Temperature and moisture conditions need to be correct for the virus to infect potatoes and tomatoes. Blight watch has a good site which you can sign up to to get alerts when conditions are right in your area for the spread of Late Blight. http://www.blightwatch.co.uk/content/bw-Smith.asp
The Potato Council have a UK map where they post reported suspected cases which once they have tested the samples sent in they then confirm if blighted or not. Quite useful to keep an eye outbreaks and how they spread across the country. http://www.potato.org.uk/node/910
It might be worth you getting in touch with whoever sold you your seed potatoes to make them aware of the problems you have had.
Very unusual to have blight as early as June. The Blightwatch for the Potato Council has no confirmed cases for the whole of the UK as yet. I suspect it was another fungus and as you suspected possibly in the seed potatoes themselves. I went to a Potato Day at a local Organic Garden several years ago and two varieties I bought never produced a single plant. I suspect that some organic producers may not be too good on ensuring that there seed stock is healthy!!
yes agree, it could have been just another disease, I am no expert and definitely was not late blight
down the page and lots more on the net advising farmers to spray with fungicide a few weeks ago. I am in sw, been humid and dry here for a long time
http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=217
It has affected at least 3 varieties of potato on the site so far, including maincrop. Not worrying now though as my two beds are emptied, potatoes frozen and green manure sown. I do a 4 rotation cycle and the green manure will give me one more
Could it be Blackleg? Fits with the timing!
See RHS site http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/profile.aspx?pid=223
Corney Kev I am in SS postcode and have already received 2 bight warnings from Blightwatch, one over 2 weeks ago so I think it must be lurking somewhere. Sorry to hear that you have lsot some of your tatties to the dreaded B Strawberry1, know what it feels like. Lost most of ours last year. Have sprayed with dithane 945 althogh don't like doing, in hope to crop this year
Blackleg would seem the most likely cause. According to the Potato Council there are no confirmed cases as yet in the UK of blight.
http://www.potato.org.uk/node/910
Also it seems that Blackleg is on the increase in seed potatoes!
http://www.fwi.co.uk/articles/23/01/2012/131096/return-for-potato-blackleg-focus.htm
Dithane would work against blight (which is a fungus) but not against Blackleg which is a bacterium.
Just keep an eye on them peeps, still no sith warnings here. :coffee2: