POTATO BLIGHT reports are down 12% on 2003, but growers must stay alert as the frequency of blight incidence is rising due to recent wet weather.

“Growers must stay on their guard,” warned the British Potato Council‘s (BPC) Dr Rob Clayton.

Growers unable to get onto saturated soils have had to stretch spray intervals he noted.

“With only a few weeks to go until the maincrop harvest, many will now be burning off crops anyway.”

He urged growers to keep up blight control programmes, until the haulm is fully dead, particularly in fields that showed signs of blight earlier in the season.

“If there is an opportunity to get onto land, make the most of it,” he added.

“Growers continue to tackle blight and will be assessing the risk before potatoes enter long-term storage.”

ADAS advisor Nick Bradshaw echoed this, suggesting that where crops have been desiccated, growers should allow a minimum of two weeks once the haulm is dead before lifting.

Guidance notes on sampling crops at harvest and store loading, together with daily blight updates are available at www.potato.org.uk.