By Owdboggy
West Midlands, United Kingdom
Potato problem
Any one recognise this? I have never seen anything like it in over 40 years of growing potatoes.
Not insect eggs.
- 20 May, 2013
Answers
Alternaria? This is a guess Boggy and it still looks like it is in it's early stages. It is usually caused by magnesium deficiency which causes a chlorophyll breakdown which creates spots and blotches in the leaves. It is apparently most prevalent (but still fairly rare) in tomatoes and potatoes. Not much data is available on this subject but you could try googling it to see what you can find. If no conclusive evidence is available, I would try an epsom salts feed if you are stuck. May do no good (as I said, I am in the dark myself never having seen this) but, apart from the cost of the epsom salts, it can do no harm and if you are stuck, may help.
20 May, 2013
Thanks. I have looked up Alternaria and none of the images look like what we have here. But then neither do any of the Virus images. Very odd.
20 May, 2013
It looks like blister aphid but I wasn't aware these were known to attack members of the solanaceae, usually they attack currants. Can you see any aphids on the leaves?
20 May, 2013
First thing we checked, even under a magnifying glass there is no sign of insect activity.
No one seems to know, though Oedema seems to be the favourite at the moment.
21 May, 2013
In that case it might be a mosaic virus, see-
http://cipotato.org/publications/pdf/002408.pdf
21 May, 2013
The virus is only in non-certified seed which these definitely were. Also, there is no mottling which gives the Virus its name.
Really am coming to the conclusion it is some form of Oedema caused by the high humidity in the tunnel.
21 May, 2013
Now you've suggested it Boggy, I reckon that is the most likely.
22 May, 2013
No idea Owdb. but curious to find out...
20 May, 2013