The soybean cyst nematode (SCN), Heterodera glycines, is the most devastating pest to soybean crop yields in the U.S., targeting the roots of soybean and other legume plants. When infection is severe SCNs cause stunting, yellowing, impaired canopy development, and yield loss. The symptoms caused by SCNs can go easily unrecognized by farmers—in some cases there are no warning symptoms before a loss of 30% of the yield. Due to the slight stunting and yellowing, many farmers may mistake these symptoms as environmental problems when in fact they are SCNs. Another symptom of SCNs that may affect farmers' yields is stunted roots with fewer nitrogen-fixing nodules. Due to the fact that soybean cyst nematodes can only move a few centimeters in the soil by themselves, they mostly are spread via tillage or plant transplants. This area of infection will look patchy and nonuniform making diagnosis more difficult for farmers. They can be seen in the roots of summer soybean plants if the roots are taken out very carefully and gently washed with water. The egg masses should be seen as bright white or yellow "pearls" on the roots. The later the roots are pulled the harder it will be to diagnose due to the SCNs female dying and turning a much darker color, forming a "cyst". The best way to know if a field is infected by soybean cyst nematodes is to take a soil sample to a nematologist.
'Amandine' is a cultivar of early potato, descended from the varieties 'Charlotte' and 'Mariana'. First bred in Brittany, France, in the early 1990s, it entered the French national list of potato varieties in 1994. 'Amandine' typically produces long tubers with very pale, unblemished skin. Their flesh, firm and also very pale, contains comparatively little starch. Amandine potatoes have become popular in Switzerland.
Spraing is a collective term for diseases and disorders of potato tubers that cause brown streaks in the flesh of the potato. Spraing can be caused by two viruses, tobacco rattle virus (TRV) which is transmitted by trichodorid nematodes, or Potato mop-top virus (PMTV) transmitted by the powdery scab fungus Spongospora subterranea. The two viruses may have synergistic effects in disease progression when both are present. Spraing like symptoms can also be caused by physiological defects or specific nutrient deficiencies, most notably Calcium.
Yellow Finn is a potato cultivar. Its origin is sourced to Europe. It is medium-sized with yellow flesh and skin that varies from white to yellow.
Potato root nematodes or potato cyst nematodes (PCN) are 1-mm long roundworms belonging to the genus Globodera, which comprises around 12 species. They live on the roots of plants of the family Solanaceae, such as potatoes and tomatoes. PCN cause growth retardation and, at very high population densities, damage to the roots and early senescence of plants. The nematode is not indigenous to Europe but originates from the Andes. Fields are free from PCN until an introduction occurs, after which the typical patches, or hotspots, occur on the farmland. These patches can become full field infestations when unchecked. Yield reductions can average up to 60% at high population densities.
Phytophthora erythroseptica—also known as pink rot along with several other species of Phytophthora—is a plant pathogen. It infects potatoes causing their tubers to turn pink and damages leaves. It also infects tulips (Tulipa) damaging their leaves and shoots.
Meloidogyne arenaria is a species of plant pathogenic nematodes. This nematode is also known as the peanut root knot nematode. The word "Meloidogyne" is derived from two Greek words that mean "apple-shaped" and "female". The peanut root knot nematode, M. arenaria is one of the "major" Meloidogyne species because of its worldwide economic importance. M. arenaria is a predominant nematode species in the United States attacking peanut in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Texas. The most damaging nematode species for peanut in the USA is M. arenaria race 1 and losses can exceed 50% in severely infested fields. Among the several Meloidogyne species that have been characterized, M. arenaria is the most variable both morphologically and cytologically. In 1949, two races of this nematode had been identified, race 1 which reproduces on peanut and race 2 which cannot do so. However, in a recent study, three races were described. López-Pérez et al (2011) had also studied populations of M. arenaria race 2, which reproduces on tomato plants carrying the Mi gene and race 3, which reproduces on both resistant pepper and tomato.
Pratylenchus penetrans is a species of nematode in the genus Pratylenchus, the lesion nematodes. It occurs in temperate regions worldwide, regions between the subtropics and the polar circles. It is an animal that inhabits the roots of a wide variety of plants and results in necrotic lesions on the roots. Symptoms of P. penetrans make it hard to distinguish from other plant pathogens; only an assay of soil can conclusively diagnose a nematode problem in the field. P. penetrans is physically very similar to other nematode species, but is characterized by its highly distinctive mouthpiece. P. penetrans uses its highly modified mouth organs to rupture the outer surface of subterranean plant root structures. It will then enter into the root interior and feed on the plant tissue inside. P. penetrans is considered to be a crop parasite and farmers will often treat their soil with various pesticides in an attempt to eliminate the damage caused by an infestation. In doing this, farmers will also eliminate many of the beneficial soil fauna, which will lead to an overall degradation of soil quality in the future. Alternative, more environmentally sustainable methods to control P. penetrans populations may be possible in certain regions.
Globodera pallida is a species of nematode in the family Heteroderidae. It is well known as a plant pathogen, especially of potatoes. It is "one of the most economically important plant parasitic nematodes," causing major crop losses, and is a model organism used to study the biology of cyst nematodes. Its common names include potato cyst nematode, white potato cyst nematode, pale potato cyst nematode, potato root eelworm, golden nematode, and pale cyst nematode.
King Edward is a potato cultivar grown in the UK since 1902, making it one of the oldest cultivars still grown commercially.
Adirondack Red is a potato variety with red flesh and skin, bred by Cornell University potato breeders Robert Plaisted, Ken Paddock and Walter De Jong, and released in 2004.
The Agata is a Dutch potato variety. It is a very early maturing, yellow-skinned, yellow-fleshed variety with an attractive bright skin. Agata produces high yields of uniform shaped tubers and is known for its high pack-out. It was bred by Svalöf Weibull A.B., from the cross BM 52-72 X Sirco in Emmeloord in 1976.
Alturas is a russet potato variety released in 2002 by the USDA-ARS and the Agricultural Experiment Stations of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington and it is under plant variety protection. It is a processing potato that has cold-sweetening resistance, so it can be processed directly out of storage into French fries and other frozen potato products.
Gala is an early-ripening firm-fleshed edible potato, for which good eating and keeping qualities are claimed. It was developed by the Groß Lüsewitz-based plant breeder Norika. In 2010, it was chosen as Thuringia's potato of the year in a public contest to which nearly 1000 consumers contributed, and in which Laura was second place.
Home Guard is a potato variety grown mainly in Ireland. Of an oval shape it is an early variety with moderate to low yields, typically harvested and available in shops by mid-May. The flesh is white or cream coloured, but shows a tendency to discoloration when cooked. It is susceptible to several diseases, including blight, potato cyst nematode and powdery scab.
The Ranger Russet is a late-maturing potato that is used for baking and processing into fries. It was originally bred by Joseph J. Pavek of the USDA in Aberdeen, Idaho, and released jointly by the USDA and the agricultural stations of Idaho, Washington, Oregon and Colorado in 1991. Ranger Russet is not under plant variety protection. It yields medium to high numbers of tubers with a short dormancy period.
Marcy is a late maturing white potato variety. It was originally bred in 1990 at Cornell University from a cross between the Atlantic variety and Q155-3 variety. It is mostly used for chipping but can be used for baking and boiling. It has good storability; chip color is good even after short to medium storage. Marcy has a high yielding crop.
Applecrabs are various hybrids between crabapples and apples. They are bred for varying reasons, including disease resistance and use in cold climates because they are often hardier than apple trees and their fruit has the good eating qualities of apples.
Melody is a cultivar of potato.
Maris Piper is the most widely grown potato variety in the United Kingdom accounting for 16% of the planted area in 2014. Introduced in 1966 it was one of the first potato varieties bred to be resistant to a form of potato cyst nematode, a major pest of potato production in the UK. It has been the most widely grown variety in the UK since 1980 and is suitable for a range of uses including chips, roast potatoes and mashed potatoes.
