Crops

Potato

Potato is a cool season crop that produces best yields when temperatures average slightly below 70°F during the growing season. Potatoes will grow well on a wide range of soils and are especially well suited for New England. The best soil for potatoes is a well-drained, reasonably deep loam. Potatoes produced on light, sandy, loam soils generally have a more desirable shape and a brighter skin color than those grown on heavier clay-type soils. Poorly-drained soils favor disease development and may result in reduced plant stands, low yields and poor quality.

For Current information on production methods (including varieties, spacing, seeding, and fertility), weed, disease, and insect management, please visit the New England Vegetable Management Guide website.

Below you will find additional information on managing this crop, including photos of insects and diseases in this crop, fact sheets, articles, and power point presentations, when available.

Insect List

• Aphids
• Colorado Potato Beetles
• Cutworm Black
• Cutworm Veriegated
• European Corn Borer
• Flea Beetle
• Potato Leaf Hopper
• Wireworms

Disease List

• Early Blight (Alternaria)
• Late Blight (Phytophthora)
• Common Scab (Streptomyces)
• Pythium Leak
• Verticillium and Fusarium Wilt
• Potato Leaf Roll Virus (PLRV)
• Potato Virus S (PVS), Potato Virus A (PVA), Potato Virus X (PVX), Potato Virus Y (PVY, Rugose Mosaic)

Articles

• Early Blight of Tomato and Potato 2006
• IPM Guidelines for Potatoes
• Late Blight and Early Blight Management in Potato
• Sclerotinia Blight of Vegetable Crops
• Common Scab of Potato
• Fusarium and Verticillium Wilts of Potato