Miller Research Hosts Pacific Northwest Potato Pest Management Field Day in Idaho

Miller Research, in partnership with the Pacific Northwest Potato Research Consortium, will host a potato pest management field day on August 20 from 8 a.m. to noon at its Rupert, Idaho facility. The event, supported by industry-funded potato commissions from Idaho, Washington, and Oregon, will feature presentations focused on chemical disease management and highlight four consortium-funded research projects. Attendees will gain insights into critical topics including alternatives to Metam soil fumigants for Verticillium control, fungicide program performance for foliar diseases, and management strategies for emerging threats such as Potato Mop Top Virus, Powdery Scab, and Black Dot—a fungal disease of increasing concern in storage.

Jeff Miller, president and principal investigator at Miller Research, noted that the field day will also cover a long-term soil health project (ongoing since 2019) examining the effects of fumigation, compost, and green manure applications. Preliminary findings on Mop Top Virus show promise, with symptom reduction observed during early storage periods, while research on Black Dot aims to understand pathogen origins and minimize its impact on both plants and stored tubers. A recently concluded project on Bacterial Soft Rot revealed that storage preparation—particularly immediate drying of washed potatoes—proved more effective than bruise reduction in preventing rot. With disease pressure remaining relatively low this season, the $20 registration fee includes materials and lunch, with pesticide recertification and Certified Crop Adviser credits available for attendees.