b'This results in blind seed pieces when10o F (5o to 6o C) the seed is cut. Blind seed pieces will not sprout resulting in poor emergence.Lateorerraticdormancy.(SteveTemperatureshockonseed.(Steve Johnson,UniversityofMaineJohnson,UniversityofMaine Cooperative Extension)Cooperative Extension) Plantingwet,pre-cutseedinstorage Soil/Seed Conditionswith poor ventilation and high humidi-Eyes concentrated at bud end. (SteveExtremelyhighsoiltemperaturecanty.Johnson,UniversityofMaineburn the sprouts. This is often seen in Cooperative Extension) sandy, hot soil when potatoes are emerg-Low Dry Matter ing.Varietieswithlowdrymattersuchas Colomba or Red Norland are prone toSproutnumberincreasesandnew tuber rot if the seed is treated with a liq- sproutsre-grow,butemergenceis uid seed treatment. delayedandnotuniform.Leavescan become malformed and appear to have The cut surface stays wet and does notherbicide-like injury.suberize but rots. Tubers that cut wet arePoorseedstoragecanaffectstand. moredifficulttosuberizeandmore(Steve Johnson, University of Maine prone to rot. Cooperative Extension)Seed cutters not calibrated properly can increase wedge and sliver pieces that are blind. Seed cutters not properly sharp-ened do not cut cleanly, making suber-ization difficult. Driedvssuberizedcutseed.Cutseed that is not properly suberized but kept too dry can have dried skin (no suber-Cut seed prone to tuber rot. (Eugeniaized) and prone to crack and allow dis-Banks, Ontario Potato Board)ease entry and rot.Burntsproutsfromhightempera-tures.(SteveJohnson,Universityof Late, Erratic Dormancy Maine Cooperative Extension)Varieties Waneta and Bannock Russet are prone to these problems.Plantingwarm,freshlycutseedinto Emergenceandstandsareoftennon- cold soils can lead to poor stands as can uniform due to differential sprouting ofplanting cut seed into cold, wet soils.bud-end and lateral eyes.Poorlycutseed.(SteveJohnson, The temperature difference between soilUniversityofMaineCooperative and seed pulp should be no more thanExtension)14 POTATO GROWER MAY/JUNE 2023'