Jul 24, 2023

Late blight found in Ontario potatoes

Late blight in potatoes has been discovered in Ontario.

An ongoing USDA project indicates the presence of late blight in potatoes in Simcoe County, Ontario. Genotype testing of the affected area is in progress by North Carolina State University.

No other reports of late blight have been received by USABlight, a national website that serves as an information portal. A map of current late blight conditions are available on the site.

Simcoe County is located at the southern tip of the Georgian Bay in Lake Huron, directly north of Toronto.

Current weather conditions in Michigan indicate low to medium blight risk throughout the state, according to Michigan Potatoes. Careful monitoring, however, is recommended following late blight occurrences in Montcalm County last year.

Potato late blight disease is credited as the cause of the great Irish potato famine of 1845. It has been called the worst of all diseases known to potatoes. Farmers hope for effective and durable late blight solutions as researchers continue to study and understand Phytophthora infestans, the fungus-like microorganism that causes the disease.