POTATO DISEASE IS TASMANIA

Otago Witness, Issue 2883, 23 June 1909, Page 9

POTATO DISEASE IS TASMANIA

PREVALENCE OF BROWN SPOT OR RUST.

There is a good deal of uneasiness among potato-growers iv Tasmania over the prevalence of brown rust amone; the potato crops in north-western coastal districts. Tha Tasmanian Government appear to have takenr Ahe -whole matter^ somewhat too easily. Mr I*a, the Government Entomologist, is eaicl to have reported on the matter, but so far it has not 'been published. Government inaction in regard to the supervision of the diseased tubers is also the subject of comment in the potato districts. It is stated! that consignments condemned at one 'port are taken to another and shipped away.. I The Government of New South Weles is displaying- more activity than the Tasmania* Government, and it is believed has cent an agent to the. infected district with; a view to deciding whether it may not be< necessary to prohibit the importation o£| potatoes from Tasmania. As it is possible! some seed potatoes may "be imported fromf Tasmania into New Zealand, it is to b& hoped our Government will see that thesjf are subjected to a thorough examinatiorS 1 There are enough pests and diseases already) in the country, it is pointed out in Ta$ J manian papers that the disease is so extremely prevalent this -season that tJhei potato industry is* practically doomed unless some effective, measure be taken to check) t the disease immediately. " In ihie report tor ' the Minister, Mr Tabart, after making- this ■announcement, said that lie and Mr Lea.t together with the local inspectors, had/ inspected on the' wharf at Davonport' quantities of potatoes ready for shipment. He Had found the disease visible, and; fairly abundant. It was a disease known to occur all over the world. It was a bacterial' disease, and liable to be conveyed by seed' rpotatoes. Hence it was a source of danger to owners of clean land in the vicinity of its outbreaks, and would be' a great lever in reducing land values. The North-west Advocate, referring to tihe matter, says: — " Potato-picking is in ueneral pi'ojyress 1 " on the wharf, ,and while the disease is worst in off-colours it also affects the product from red land. In. some instances'* two tons out of a truck load are oast aside, and the charge for picking amounts to 8s per ton. The knife has to be used to make sure whether potatoes are infected, an* potatoes passed as sound to-day may !*9 <bad next week. In one week 15Q0 basrs were condemned, but about 500 bags of this number were affected with frost. In the following- week 500 bags had been condemned at Devonport. and it is understood) f.Hat farmers are exercisinsr care in the paddock, which increases the proportion of refects, .to the disadvantage of the grower and the community. The disease may be found in any lot, and the inspectors have' to exercise much care.

"Tt may be of interest to publish what Mr Lea has already wit on record' con- " eernin" tfo» rust, or Tot:

r "Wet Rot. or Brown Rot of Potato. — Thi-s is a bacterial disease fßaoilhis so'a-xja^aTmnl'-which has b9<*n noticed in severa? Tjarf-<( of TVsmama. and >$ fairly common in Ane*T,a!ia. TTnlite tlw» other dw^ops nofcfred b^re, it does nob attack, practically, all the rjlante in the a^ited area, but toWs one 1"»r« and th»ro. The first sifrn of if is a vellowinp- of the Jf>«.v<3s and «tern«: the litf-pr then •'hero T"-eT "-c fl»l>W. .and hr>nd ov/m\ »*"* «jooh after t*»° who 1*!1 *! T»Jant dies. The *ff«cted tiiHers -='hen *•"*■ into are seen to f>«,Te an irrfltfnJ-" ring 1 , co^^stins: j of r>u"*erou« snmll Vn^wmpli spots. Tn cnf. tin" tJ"* tWatc"' frt- ««*hl any that- aro ri^K^rl +o >io •>fl r ->pf/-^ Jti thi<? WaT •■Tionl/? he lv>il<v| ri-n Tn 1-«al'Tiv ~o»--»toes. t> rir>"- ran of+»-» '-•o .-o'ori. i*- 15 usually more or j/jc-c T)urp!i=h in colour, and not spotted.' "