b'decreaseswithtimeacrossmostculti- ing tubers, and how sugars and starchPotatofamine,andreportedin vars. Research in their lab, indicate thatrespondtoenvironmentalconditionsNewfoundland in the early 1900s. The there were no differences found for redduring growth, and in storage until pro- pathogen remains in the soil for years skincolorintensitywhentuberswerecessing/marketing.betweenpotatocrops,andinfected grown in high organic matter soils com- tubers become unmarketable.In 2000, paredtosandysoil.SkinningduetoAfterlunchToddForbushfromwart was discovered on PEI.A manage-immatureperidermdecreasestuberTechmark spoke on tools and technolo- ment plan was developed and potatoes appearance,promoteswaterloss,andgyforpotatostoragemanagement.were exported. No control beyond quar-increases bacterial and fungal pathogenToddstalktouchedonthreeaspects,antine of the tubers has been identified. entry.supplying what the potato needs in stor- WartwasagainfoundinPEIin2020 age, and how to determine what thoseand2021;amanagementplanwas On Thursday Dr. Robinson introducedneeds are.This point will draw focus onagain developed and potatoes have been JeffMillerfromtheMinnesotapotatorespirationandhowtodeter- exportedforfreshmarketuse. DepartmentofAgriculture.Hetalkedminethe"relative"respirationrateofNewfoundland has a breeding program about the winter test efforts conductedthepotatowhileinstorageusingthefor resistance to wart. in Hawaii, and results of those tests.ventilationsystemresponsestothe potatoes demands.Mark Urquhart of Cavendish Farms pro-Next was Kent Sather from the NorthvidedasummaryofpostCovid-19 DakotaStateSeedDepartment.KentReadingandunderstandingaPotatoimpacts on agriculture, sharing that not said,TheacreageenteredforNorthSugar report refine our understanding ofone life or business hasnt been affected Dakotas certified seed potato 2021 cropthe potatoes needs in storage and helpacrosstheglobe.Ithascausedlabor was 14,471 acres. This is similar to theprovidethebestatmosphereforthatmarketuncertainty,putdailyroutines pastfiveyears.Only38acreswerepotato in storage and using the ventila- onpause,andresultedinsignificant rejected during the summer inspections.tion system to supply dry air to areas ofsupply chain challenges.Winter test samples were collected, andthe potato pile where pathogens are at plantedatHomestead,Floridaasnor- work.Usingtheventilationsystemto mal. However, extremely wet conditionssupply dry air to areas of after planting destroyed the plots. As athepotatopilewhere result, the seed department is serologi- pathogens are at work. cally virus testing sprouted tubers of pri-ority seed lots.Following that, Dr. Steve Johnsonfromthe Dr.PaulBethke,USDA/ARS,wasbackUniversityofMaine, todayandhadaninformativediscus- shared a presentation on sion focused on the effects heat stressPotato Wart Disease and has on emergence, tuber initiation andPolitics.His talk focused set, vine growth, tuber growth, specificonSynchytriumendobi-gravity, and external and internal tuberoticum, the soil pathogen defects, including sugar end and stem(restingsporangium, end defect.swimmingzoospores, responsibleforpotato Next was Dr. Asunta Susie Thompson,wart, a quarantine pest. It NDSU PotatoBreeder,shespokeonwasfirstreportedin tuber storage quality: sugars and starch.Hungaryin1896and Her presentation could be described asmay have codeveloped in sugars and starch 101, an introductionCentralAmericawith tothesecarbohydratesinpotatopro- potato. It was introduced duction and storage. She reviewed for- to Europe with breeding mation of sugars as products of photo- material from S. America synthesis, the translocation to develop- shortlyaftertheIrish MARCH 2022 POTATO GROWER 17'