POTATO PROSPECTS

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21986, 9 January 1937, Page 9

POTATO PROSPECTS

HEAVY TOP GROWTH If the vigour of the top growth could be taken as entirely positive proof there should be a record production of potatoes this season. But top growth is not a very dependable indication. On some heavy land the excess of rain has rotted the seed, and a few farmers have been resowing their crops. One fairly extensive field in the Kaiapoi district was noticed by the writer on Thursday being resown. The soil is in great order for these late crops to make a start, but with the dry weather that must be ahead the yields are unlikely to be anything more than ordinary, and the crops must be late. There may be one advantage, however, which is that the potatoes will keep longer next season. There is also the possibility that if the present unpromising conditions cause blight losses, these late crops may come on a market bare of sound potatoes. LOOSE SMUT IN WHEAT OR BARLEY To The Agricultural Editor, “The Press.” Sir, —Some attention has been drawn to a recent article in the daily papers, which is headed by the statement—- “ Wet Conditions Encourage Loose Smut.” As this article points out, a great deal of confusion .exists with the two smut diseases of wheat, and it is rightly stated that the only means of controlling loose smut (which appears as the green crop is coming into ear) is to have the seed hot-water treated before sowing. On the other hand, stinking, or ball smut, which is apparent when the crop is ripe or threshed, is controlled by external disinfection of the seed with the well-known seed dusts or steeps. Further confusion with regard to the nature of these smut diseases is likely to be caused by the recent stater ment that wet conditions at this time of the year encourage the development of loose smut. A brief account of the true effect of the weather on the incidence of this disease may be of interest to readers. Loose smut in wheat or barley rarely occurs in the Pacific Coast states of America, or in the other sections of this continent where the relative humidity of the air is low at the flowering time of these cereals. Again, here in Canterbury, the same position has been recorded. A survey of wheat growing areas by the writer has shown that loose smut is less severe in drier districts or in the cases of crops sown with seed from these drier districts. The reference to the dryness of the district implies an absence, of warm and damp atmospheric conditions at the flowering time of wheat. Thus, in the Amuri, Waipara, and Waitaki counties it has been noticed that the percentage of crops affected wi,th some degree of loose smut is lower than in other districts where more humid conditions are experienced during November. It is at the flowering time that the spores of the loose smut fungus are blown from diseased heads into the open flowers of healthy heads, where they germinate and infect the developing embryo of the grain. The infected grain matures normally, but when it is sown during the following season it produces a plant which will reveal a number of “smutted” heads at flowering time, a year after the initial infection occurred. The weather then exerts an influence on thf degree of infection with this disease only during the short period of flowering. As soon as the grain is formed the infective period is passed. A continuation of the recent unfavourable wet weather will have no effect on increasing the severity of loose smut, but there are a number of diseases which do increase with continued damp weather during the ripening period. Such diseases are mildew, leaf and stem rust, foot-rot whiteheads, and the two ear infections, scab and blackheads. It is probable that these disease conditions will be reported frequently before harvest.— Yours, etc., I. D. BLAIR, Canterbury Agricultural College, Lincoln, January 8, 1937.

SHOW DATES 1937 February 2 and 3—Feilding. February s—Woodville. February 16 and 17—Masterton Golden Jubilee. March s—Kaikoura.5 —Kaikoura. March 13—Mayfield. March 13—Cheviot. March 20—Temuka and Geraldine, at Winchester. March 23—Amuri, at Waiau. * March 29—Mackenzie Highland Show, at Fairlie. March 31—Hawarden. April I—Oxford. April 3—Methven. April 16—Flaxbourne, at Ward.

; Wheat is to be seen in stock in the Culverden district, and appearances indicate a satisfactory yield. The, high wind on Thursday, which reached gale force in‘ the Waiau district, caused some shaking in the more forward crops, but it did good otherwise in drying the grain and arresting the development of pests. A close observer 'of North Canterbury wheat conditions stated yesterday that the belt of land between the Ashley river and Amberley, which generally yields well, is likely to show a much reduced return this season. Many crops have filled out poorly, and the heads are short. The crops, however, are very variable, and an estimate is particularly difficult to make this year.