Question about potatoes

Discussion in 'Fruit and Veg Gardening' started by Cayuga Morning, Jul 18, 2022.

  1. Cayuga Morning

    Cayuga Morning Strong Ash Plants Contributor

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    This is appearing on my pot grown potatoes. I haven't found any bugs as yet. Anyone know what it is? Potato blight? Some kind of munching insect? PXL_20220718_164231392.MP_compress59.jpg

    PXL_20220718_164239352.MP_compress3.jpg

    Thanks folks.
     
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  3. Logan

    Logan Strong Ash

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    Have you got water on the leaves when it was sunny?
     
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  4. Zigs

    Zigs Young Pine

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  5. Sjoerd

    Sjoerd Mighty Oak

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    It looks like it could be Alternaria solani to me. This the agent that causes early blight. I hope that it is not this, but it looks suspicious. Do you have access to any professionals there that can help you with this?

    I hate to be a doomsday character, but I would consider removing the foliage, destroying it and then harvest your spuds as you will and save them. If it is indeed blight, you do not want it to get down into your tubers.
     



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  6. Dirtmechanic

    Dirtmechanic Young Pine

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    The fringe yellowing of infection is not prevalent and I think I saw a angular pattern in the thinner tissue rather than the fungal bullseye ring shapes that munch through even the structural components of leaves. PotatoTomato01sm.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jul 19, 2022
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  7. Sjoerd

    Sjoerd Mighty Oak

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    I had to look around a bit, but I did find this foto on the internet, it somewhat resembles your brown leaf patterns:
    29F5D14A-3EE8-4AD5-8722-34F4F4E59F22.jpeg

    It came from the website of Michigan State University. https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/brown...plan_for_this_early_blight_look_alike_in_2013

    i
    really cannot at all be sure; in fact, we here do not get early blight very often, our blight comes later and is a different pathogen. I have never seen early blight on my lottie or anywhere on our complex, but I know of it.

    lets hope that indeed it is from water. In any event I agree with DM that you ought to remove all leaves with this presentation.
     
    Last edited: Jul 19, 2022
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  8. Beeker

    Beeker In Flower

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    That looks like the spots we sometimes get on our Maples in my neighborhood.
    I'm not sure it's the same thing, but looks a lot like it.
    I don't know what it is, but our Maple trees recover just fine.
     
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  9. Dirtmechanic

    Dirtmechanic Young Pine

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    I was disappointed to learn how trees harbor so much fungi.
     
  10. Tetters

    Tetters Young Pine

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    Hiya, Zigs just mentioned this to me and so I had a look and thought I'd add my two penny's worth.
    I'm thinking that it reminds me of the mess woolly aphids can leave. I'll look for an alternative photo for you to have a look at
    [​IMG] [​IMG]
    There is also an Irish potato aphid which behaves in a very similar way.
    upload_2022-7-19_21-40-42.jpeg Just hope your spuds are ok under the ground @Cayuga Morning
     
  11. Cayuga Morning

    Cayuga Morning Strong Ash Plants Contributor

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    It looks to me like a munching insect because the cellular structure of the leaf is still there...but the chlorophyll & substance of the leaf is gone.

    I just checked again & this time found a tiny green hoping insect like a mini grasshopper type thing.

    I just googled this. Maybe it's leaf hoppers?
     
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  12. Dirtmechanic

    Dirtmechanic Young Pine

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    I am from that internet age where they say "pics or it did not happen?"


    Alternaria alternata is nasty.
     
    Last edited: Jul 19, 2022
  13. Sjoerd

    Sjoerd Mighty Oak

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    Leaf hoppers can indeed make that sort of damage.
     
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