02/19/07 PCN eradication plan

The State of Idaho and the federal Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service say they want to eradicate the potato cyst nematode from some fields in eastern Idaho. DAVIS "We believe it's by far the best thing to do because no place that we know of which has ever adopted a management strategy has ever seen really great success. It just makes sense to try to kill it as few as there are." Eion Davis APHIS made those comments at the Washington Potato Conference last week. He says that a national survey will be started this spring and will include soil sampling in Washington, Oregon, California and other growing areas. Because the Idaho cases are a first for the US Davis says that there is practically no research data except for some in Europe. DAVIS "So this spring as soon as we can get into the fields we intend to do extremely intensive population mapping of these infested fields. That will feed into some research efforts and tell us how this thing is responding to again just natural die off. We intend to fumigate these fields." Seven fields near Shelley tested positive last year for the microscopic nematodes. The eradication plan has been reviewed by experts from around the world who believe it could take five years to wipe out the PCN. No potatoes can be grown in those fields until eradication has been achieved. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott