News on Potato Defects and Diseases

Seed Potatoes in a Victorian cold storage unit have tested positive for the potato mop-top virus (PMTV).

World Potato Congress Inc. (WPC) will host a webinar, 'Biology and Integrated Management of Potato Common Scab,' October 20, 2025. The speaker is Amanda Gevens, PhD, Professor and Extension Plant Pathologist, University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Australia faces a potato shortage after its toughest season in a decade. Extreme weather in South Australia, the nation’s main potato region, cut yields, causing supermarket shortages. Mitolo Family Farms cites heat, cold, and drought as main factors.

Cornell marks 160 years of potato breeding, creating 50+ varieties—including top U.S. chip potatoes and nematode-resistant strains. Farmer partnerships and USDA support drive innovation, boosting sustainability and the USD 100B U.S. potato industry.

Corteva launches Zorvec Entecta in India, a fungicide for grapes and potatoes, offering long-lasting protection against Downy Mildew and Late Blight. Rain-fast and systemic, it ensures healthy growth, high yields, and sustainable disease management.

Los productores de papa de la Asociación Frutihortícola y Pecuaria de Ybytymí (Paraguarí), que reúne a 205 familias, alertan sobre una plaga que afecta sus cultivos, amenaza la economía campesina y agrava sus deudas.

EUROPLANT marked major anniversaries by raising €20,000 (USD 21,400) for AGUAPAN, a Peruvian initiative preserving potato diversity crucial for breeding, climate resilience, and global food security.

Kenya nears release of '3R' Late Blight-resistant potatoes after 20+ years of research by CIP & KALRO. Supported by 2Blades, Feed the Future & Simplot, the varieties promise higher yields, disease protection, and improved food security by 2026.

A new webpage by the Michigan Potato Industry Commission offers growers tools to identify and manage late blight, featuring pathogen details, outbreak protocols, fungicide advice and links to monitoring organizations.

Renaissance BioScience Corp. secured an Australian patent on Sept 4, 2025, for its yeast-based RNA platform, targeting the Colorado Potato Beetle with eco-friendly biopesticides. It also eyes animal and human health markets.

The James Hutton Institute introduced two PCN-resistant potato varieties, Malaika and Glen, in Kenya. Developed with international partners, they boost yields, support food security, and meet local farmers’ needs for fast-cooking, low-dormancy potatoes.

Potato growers are urged to watch for the Colorado beetle, a pest threatening UK crops. Spot yellow-cream beetles with black stripes or red larvae. Report sightings with photos to APHA or the Scottish Government to protect biosecurity.

Potato Professionals in the United Kingdom gathered for the annual Potatoes in Practice (PiP)event, hosted by the National Potato Innovation Centre (NPIC), in partnership with SRUC and Agrii, at The James Hutton Institute’s Baldruddery Farm.

Researchers from the Universities of Potsdam and Erlangen, the Max Planck Institute and the National Institute of Biology in Ljubljana developed Potato-GEM, a genome-scale metabolic model to study growth–defense trade-offs in crops.

Potato growers should test for nematicide residues like Nemathorin 10G before harvest due to dry conditions slowing breakdown. Follow the 119-day wait after application and use accredited labs for testing to ensure crop safety and meet standards.

IITA, FAO & partners equip 12 African nations to detect/manage Potato Cyst Nematodes, a pest slashing yields & threatening trade, via training, diagnostics, awareness & regional cooperation to protect farmers’ livelihoods & potato production.

Esta herramienta permitirá optimizar el uso de fungicidas, reducir costos y minimizar el impacto ambiental al ajustar los tratamientos según el riesgo real.

Gov. Mills and UMaine leaders reopened the modernized Aroostook Farm after a USD 3 Million upgrade, boosting Maine’s potato research with advanced tech to speed new variety development like the Caribou Russet, supporting jobs and the agri-economy.