10/16/07 PCN eradication

The federal government has put millions of dollars into the program to eradicate potato cyst nematode in Idaho. The microscopic pests were discovered a year and a half ago in some potato fields near Shelley. Seven fields have been identified and quarantined. APHIS supervisory plant and quarantine officer Tina Gresham says they're moving into the second phase of the operation thanks to the publication of interim rules which go into effect November first. GRESHAM "With that we have laid out a path forward for how we will be regulating fields, which fields will be regulated and how we may survey fields in the future so that they may be released from regulation." The infected fields were treated with methyl bromide and covered with plastic earlier this year. Once the plastic was removed, an oil radish crop was planted. GRESHAM "When that plant was shredded and disked under it exuded a chemical that has an effect on the reproductive cycle of the nematode. That was our second treatment. Our third treatment which was in the fall was application of Tellum 2." APHIS has looked at tens of thousands of soil samples and that laboratory work will continue all winter long. It's like looking for the needle in the haystack. More about that tomorrow. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott