Idaho Size Profile May Be Smaller

Idaho's potato growers could be looking at a smaller potato size profile this coming harvest season.

While many fields are green and still growing, many others are starting senesence with vines in various stages of dying.

Coupled with the incidence of verticillium wilt in many fields, growers will probably be digging smaller-sized potatoes come harvest time.

In addition, growers who grow the Norkotah variety seem to be generally surprised at the smaller size profile, especially for early harvest.

Another factor that will be added into the mix is the fact extension specialists are telling growers who may have late blight to use one last fungicide application and then kill vines as soon as possible to avoid carrying the blight into storage.

Several fields in eastern and southern Idaho have been found with the disease. Cooler, wetter weather during periods of  July and August have made conditions more conducive to blight spores being picked up by the wind and scattered to other fields.