J U L Y / A U G U S T 2 0 1 9 22 POTATO GROWER Center in Crookston will be busy this summer! We will again be studying insecticide resistance patterns in popu- lations of Colorado Potato Beetle (CPB) from locations in Minnesota and North Dakota. With increasing levels of tolerance for at-plant neonicoti- noids and the delayed spring emer- gence of overwintered adults, potato growers in our region are having to rely more heavily on foliar applied insecti- cides. We’ll be continuing our efficacy surveys of Spinosad (e.g. Blackhawk, Spintor, Radiant), Abamectin (e.g. AgriMek), and Anthranilic Diamide (e.g. Coragen) insecticides this summer from populations collected from the major potato producing areas of the two states. We’ll also be testing for effi- cacy of the growth regulator Rimon and the METI insecticide Torac in sev- eral locations. If growers have a poten- tial failure managing CPB, please con- tact us (office 218 281-8611, cell 218 280-9887); we’ll try to get out and sam- ple the population for resistance test- ing. To test against all pesticides requires approximately 1500 adult bee- tles. We’ll also be testing rotations of foliar insecticides for efficacy and eco- nomics in plots at both the UMN- NWROC and at the Sand Plains Research Farm in Becker, Minnesota. The Aphid Alert trapping network will be up and running again this season, monitoring local occurrence of aphid species that vector virus into potatoes. We’ll be publishing regional aphid pressure every week on aphidalert.blog spot.com. This summer, in addition to the regular vector species, we’ll be checking for Damson-Hop aphid and Cannabis aphids (both species were collected at several locations last year and they may be potential vectors of PVY). We are hoping to have 18-20 traps active this season across MN and ND. We’ll also be experimenting with new battery and solar panel configura- tions to make the effort more econom- ical. This will be the last season for evaluat- ing the pollinator plantings in central Minnesota. This project focused on the benefits and potential drawbacks of planting pollinator habitat on the edges of irrigated fields. The results this far indicate that these floral plant- ings do result in more pollinators and potential biological control insect species that may provide additional mortality of pest insects in neighbor- ing production fields. This season, among other research goals, we’re assessing if these plantings provide fewer overwintering areas than do unmanaged field edges and whether there are increased levels of parasitized CPB larvae adjacent to these floral plantings. Finally, our lab will be cooperating with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Seed Certification Office to assess the use of small drones in scouting for PVY in seed fields. If you hear a buzzing sound over potato fields this summer, it might not be bees! NDSU Potato Pathology Dr. Neil Gudmestad, NDSU and Dr. Gary Secor, NDSU Inkster, North Dakota We have eight seed treatment and in- furrow fungicide trials that are focused on the management of Rhizoctonia stem canker and Fusarium seed piece decay of processing and table potatoes. It is important to manage Fusarium dry rot of seed potatoes, since Fusarium is often a predisposing site of infection for bacterial soft rot decay. One of the trials is a demonstration plot is cooper- ation with Syngenta Crop Protection. We are increasing potato genotypes from multiple breeding programs, including NDSU and Potatoes USA, for post-harvest susceptibility to Fusarium sambucinum dry rot, Dickeya dianthicola and Pectobacterium soft rot. Resistance to these diseases is difficult to find. Prosper, North Dakota We have two trials at this NDSU exper- iment station location. One trial is evaluating fungicides for late blight control. A second trial is screening advance selections from the NDSU potato breeding program of Dr. Susie Thompson for resistance to late blight. Oakes, North Dakota As part of a national Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) study for integrating next-generation technolo- gies for blackleg and soft rot manage- ment of potato, we have three trials. This SCRI grant funds research by 15 researchers in multiple states to under- stand and manage soft rot caused by Dickeya and Pectobacterium. One trial is at the NDSU Oakes research site. This is one of four locations that is evaluating economic loss due to vary- ing amounts of Dickeya. Potatoes with varying levels of Dickeya infection have been planted at sites in Michigan,