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Soggy spring ups odds of more late blight

NEWS HIGHLIGHT

Soggy spring ups odds
of more late blight
All the
recent rain has many who grow tomatoes thinking about late blight and wondering
if there might be a repeat of 2009.

May 26, 2011 – All the
recent rain has many who grow tomatoes thinking about late blight and wondering
if there might be a repeat of 2009.

Late blight infected tomato seeding. Photo from MAFRI

Concern is a good thing.
It reflects knowledge gained from experience with one of the most destructive
plant diseases, unknown to many in 2009. Awareness of the need to routinely
inspect plants for symptoms and respond when late blight occurs, by reporting
as well as managing or destroying the affected plants, greatly reduces
potential for another disaster.

A few resistant tomato
varieties have been developed and are beginning to be commercially available.

A new U.S. program tracks
the occurrence of late blight outbreaks from reports. For more information, go
to http://usablight.org.