POTATO CROPS

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVII, Issue 23115, 1 February 1945, Page 4

POTATO CROPS

Appearance Of Irish Blight Position Not Serious In South Canterbury Although potato growers in Otago and Southland are facing heavy _ losses as the result of an exceptionally severe outbreak of Irish Blight, the disease has not yet affected South Canterbury crops to any extent, and with a continuance of the present dry spell it is not anticipated that the yields will be affected. Mr C. C. Leitch, of the Department of Agriculture, informed a reporter last night that the first indications of the appearance of the disease was a browning of the leaves and later of the stem of the plant. The top growth dropped off, and if there was much rain the spores of the blight were carried down into the potatoes, which then began to rot.

Waimate Area

Most of the South Canterbury crops were sown reasonably early, and up till a few weeks ago were looking exceptionally well, he continued, but. with the wet weather up till about 10 days ago, blight was now making its apnearance in some localities. If the present fine warm weather continued the tendency of the blight to spread would be checked. In his long experience of South Canterbury he had never seen such a prolific growth of the potato tops, the result of the abundant rains. As this growth was of a soft, tender nature it made an idea] condition for an attack of blight. In England it was customary to spray the crops with sulphuric acid as a preventive measure, but it only proved effective if the spraying was carried out before the appearance of the blight. Mr Leitch mentioned that he had seen patches of potatoes affected by blight ir- various parts of South Canterbury, more particularly those sown early in the season. If a crop affected by blight already showed a yield of eight to 10 tons to the acre, it might pay the grower to cut the tops to prevent the spores of the disease reaching the potatoes and rotting them. Although not absolutely immune, the Aucklander short-top potatoes were not as susceptible to the blight as some other varieties. Most of the potatoes sown in the area adjacent to Timaru were Auckland short-top, but although some of them were affected by the i blight, no appreciable damage had yet ( been done. A continuance of hot i weather and drying winds would have a tendency to check the spreading of the disease. Prolific Growth Mr W. J. Fletcher, of Willowbridge, chairman of the Waimate Potato Growers’ Association, said that Irish Blight had made its appearance in the district about three weeks ago, but the recent hot weather had kept it in check. Some crops showed effects of the blight, but others were only slightly affected. A good many crops had been sown late this season, and as the potatoes must reach a certain stage before becoming susceptible to the blight the bulk of the crops was not yet affected. Growers hoped that a continuance of the warm weather with good drying winds would check the spread of the disease. Wellington District (N.Z.P.A.) WELLINGTON, Jan. 31. An officer of the Fields Division of the Department of’ Agriculture stated to-day that potato blight was prevalent in the Wellington district to a somewhat greater degree than normally, but the trouble was not as yet particularly serious.