06/05/07 PCN update

The numbers tell the story of Potato Cyst Nematode in Idaho. PCN confirmed about one year ago in a 45 acre potato field in Bingham County. A second 60 acre field also tested positive, then five more in close proximity. 38 thousand soil samples, 224 production fields, 459 seed potato fields and 58 facilities later no addition positive findings other than the seven Bingham County fields. Mike Cooper of the Idaho State Department of Agriculture says the infected fields were fumigated last month, and then covered with plastic. When that process was completed last week, the fields were ready for an oil radish crop to be planted. COOPER "And that will be grown over the summer and then chopped and plowed in some time in August. They will follow that with another fumigation." The entire process will be repeated next year. Cooper says grower groups are helping ISDA identify potato acreage so that all of Idaho can be surveyed and tested. COOPER "The state grows about 330 thousand acres of spuds every year but there's also about a four year rotation. So that means there is probably about 1.2 million acres of ground that grow potatoes." No short term solution here; PCN eradication and testing will be with us for years. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott