In The News
Silver Scurf in Potato Storage
In collaboration with a potato processor, Spornado is excited to be monitoring potatoes in storage for the first time to detect Silver Scurf, caused by the fungus Helminthosporium solani. This disease causes silver-gray patches to appear on the skin of the potato and reduces the marketability of the crop if the potatoes are visibly infected. The severity of silver scurf can increase significantly during storage of potatoes. The conditions commonly found in potato storage facilities are ideal for disease spread; spores carried by air currents in the storage land on healthy tubers and can spread greatly on tubers stored for a few months.