Elements of IPM for
Potatoes in NY State

Insects

Diseases

Weeds

Colorado potato beetle

bacterial soft rot & black leg

annual grasses

aphids

Fusarium dry rot

annual broadleaves

green peach

late blight

perennial grasses

potato

early blight

perennial broadleaves

melon

Verticillium wilt

nutsedge

buckthorn

Fusarium wilt

foxglove

black dot root rot

potato leafhopper

Rhizoctonia canker and black scurf

flea beetle

Botrytis vine rot

variegated cutworm

white mold

subterranean and surface cutworms

golden &lesion nematodes

European corn borer

pink rot

wireworms

powdery scab

symphylan

Pythium leak

spider mites

Seed piece decay

Helminthosporium silver scurf

common scab

viruses, assorted

A. Pre-planting decisions

Priority

Points

1) Crop rotation to control (or improve control of) early blight (2 years), verticillium wilt (3 years or longer), black dot (3 years or longer), canker and black scurf (3 years), white mold (3 years or longer), golden nematode, potato scab, silver scurf, Colorado potato beetle (1 year), European corn borer, wireworms (3-4 years). For some pests, longer distance between fields in the rotation increases effectiveness.

High

10

2) Use winter cover crop planted to improve soil, suppress weeds, and reduce compaction.

Medium

5

3) Credit nitrogen from previous crop or manure in fertility decision.

Medium

5

4) Minimum tillage in the spring to act as a reservoir for beneficial insects and to control soil erosion (muck limitations?)

Low

3

5) Destroy all waste potatoes/seed slivers

High

10

6) Use only certified seed potatoes

High

10

7) Select varieties resistant or tolerant to golden nematode, scab, late blight, early blight, black dot, Colorado potato beetle, potato leafhopper.

High

10

8) Properly calibrate seed piece cutter. Proper seedpiece handling.

High

10

9) To avoid bruising and soft rots, consider soil type (muck vs stoney) when choosing varieties.

Low

3

B. Planting Decisions

1) Inspect seed on farm before planting by cutting and examining a representative sample for disease symptoms.

High

10

2) Adjust seed unloaders and planters to avoid bruising

Medium

5

3) Sanitize all seed/planting equipment between seed lots

High

10

4) Apply appropriate seed treatment fungicide and in-furrow treatments. Choose fungicide appropriate to soil type and disease history.

High

10

5) Warm seed before planting to variety/region specific temperatures as recommended

High

10

6) Plant at minimum soil temperature of 50 F and proper soil moisture.

Medium

5

7) Suberize seed properly

Medium

5

8) Adjust planting depth for soil type, drainage, temperature and variety

Medium

5

C. Soil and water Management

1) Use proper drainage, tiling, and leveling.

High

10

2) Soil test for fertility/nutrient/pH levels at least once every 3 years for each field

High

10

3) Fertilize according to the soil test for N, P, and K and other nutrients and pH to amounts recommended by Cornell

High

10

4) Select irrigation systems by soil type, water availability and other factors

Medium

5

5) Use local information available from the Northeast Weather Association or other source for irrigation scheduling.

Medium

5

6) Maintain surface residue for erosion control.

Medium

5

D. Pest Monitoring and Forecasting

1) Eliminate potato cull piles. Remove all volunteer potatoes from fields.

High

10

2) Scout at least once per week for insects and foliar diseases. (Colorado potato beetle, aphids, potato leafhopper, spider mites, flea beetle, European corn borer, late blight, early blight, viruses, white mold, Botrytis vine rot)

High

10

3) Scout once per season for wireworms (preplant) especially in high risk areas

Medium

5

4) Follow available Cornell thresholds for diseases and insects (CPB, aphids, PLH, spider mites, flea beetle, ECB)

High

10

5) Use trap crops, trenches (CPB), border mulches (CPB), natural enemy releases (CPB, aphids, PLH, ECB) or natural enemy refuges (CPB, aphids, PLH, ECB) to provide additional insect control.

Low

3

6) Use an on farm disease forecasting instrument or join a disease forecasting network (e.g. NEWA) to predict conditions appropriate for late blight and early blight.

High

10

7) Apply fungicides according to disease forecasts and forecasted weather.

High

10

8) Rogue virus infected plants from fields (especially for seed potato growers)

High

10

9) Spot kill late blight infected areas of fields with herbicides.

High

10

10) Band fungicides when crop is small.

Low

3

11) Modify fungicide choice according to late blight genotype that is present.

High

10

12) Modify fungicide applications with late blight status in NY on tomatoes, petunias and nightshade (information available from CCE)

High

10

13) Make a weed map/list 2 times annually

Medium

5

14) Choose herbicide/tillage strategy according to weed species and populations.

Medium

5

15) Manage problem weeds with rotational crops.

Medium

5

16) Experiment with banding of herbicides in combination with cultivation and hilling operations.

Low

3

17) Rotate fungicide, insecticide and herbicide modes of action to avoid or delay field resistance.

High

10

18) Chose effective labeled pesticides with the least environmental and beneficial organism impact (EIQ).

High

10

19) Calibrate sprayer at least once per season.

High

10

20) Keep complete records of soil tests, fertilizer applications, cultural practices, weed maps, scouting results, and pesticide applications.

High

10

21) Clean all equipment when moving between fields to prevent weed and disease spread

Medium

5

22) Use legal and appropriate techniques for sprayer cleanup, flushout, and container disposal

High

10

23) Adjust sprayer boom height as crop grows

High

10

24) All growers and employees receive Worker Protection Standard Training. Appropriate posting of fields is completed.

High

10

E. Harvest

1) Minimize harvesting on hot days (>78F) or too cold days (<45F) for potatoes going into storage.

Medium

5

2) Minimize harvesting operations when soil is too wet or too dry.

Medium

5

3) Adjust equipment to minimize bruising. Have drops no more than 6 inches. Keep chains full. Conduct bruise evaluation (e.g."superspud" or dyes) on equipment once per year — particularly when changes are made

High

10

4) Sanitize storage area and/or pallet boxes.

High

10

5) Avoid harvesting from wet spots in the field OR keep potatoes harvested form wet spots separated in storage.

Low

3

F. Post HarvesT/Storage

1) Maintain proper storage conditions (>90% RH) and allow adequate curing period to promote wound healing. Ensure adequate ventilation for the storage

High

10

2) Monitor and manage moisture and temperature to prevent condensation on the top of the pile that would lead to storage diseases

High

10

3) Use sugar testing to determine a temperature management plan.

Low

3

4) Use refrigeration to take field heat out especially for early season harvest

Low

3

5) Control sprouting with appropriate inhibitors or temperature

High

10

6) Note disease problems from any fields or as bins are loaded. Keep lots with any signs of disease separated from healthy lots.

High

10