Researcher James Woodhall with a spore sampler at the University of Idaho Parma Research and Extension Center in 2018. The device gives farmers advance notice of disease outbreaks. The network is being expanded this year.
Researcher James Woodhall with a spore sampler at the University of Idaho Parma Research and Extension Center in 2018. The device gives farmers advance notice of disease outbreaks. The network is being expanded this year.
Researchers plan to expand their network of spore traps to test for additional diseases in more crops.
The network is designed to serve as an early warning system for airborne diseases before they impact crops. University of Idaho researchers placed the first spore traps in 2018.
Late and early blight in potatoes and powdery mildew in sugar beets were targeted in the first few years. The system in 2022 will also test for powdery and downy mildew in hops, powdery mildew and gray mold in grapevines and Stemphylium, which causes a leaf blight in onions.
James Woodhall, plant pathologist at UI’s Parma Research and Extension Center, said the system was developed with strong support from the state’s potato industry, “and we’re looking to build on that platform.”
Adding tests responds to current demand from the growing hop industry and vineyards. Spore traps were deployed at two vineyards May 16.
Expansion also “can make the whole system cheaper, in a way,” Woodhall said. “Once you have that spore sample, you can test for everything.”
System improvements in 2021 included increased sensitivity to early blight in potatoes. Researchers this year plan to place spore traps next to field trials that target early blight “and link spore data with spray applications,” he said.
Researchers, led by Mitch Bauske, plan to study early blight and relationships among spore levels, symptoms and latent infection. Two trials are slated.
Woodhall said the work on late blight in potatoes is informed by spore trap detections and weather-based models.
“For late blight, we find we need both for accurate prediction of risk,” he said.
Twelve spore traps in Idaho and four in Oregon are planned.
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I cover agricultural, environmental and rural issues in southwestern Idaho and southeastern Oregon. I can be reached at 208-914-8264 mobile or bcarlson@capitalpress.com.
