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Do I have blight?

• Message 1. 

  Posted by Thesassenach (U14884672) on Friday, 17th June 2011

  I live in the west of Ireland, and this year, sowed Orla potatoes in late March. I have some in bags, and some in a raised bed, growing through a double layer of mypex. There are lots of small brown spots on the leaves. Should I worry? If so, is it worth spraying them with copper sulphate, or is it too late? (I'm not going to use dithane). The crop are plum to egg sized at the minute - would they store?. If it is blight, I don't want it getting on my tomatoes and peppers in the polytunnel.

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Tee Gee (U10012255) on Friday, 17th June 2011

  So much for a 'Blight resistant' variety
  
  There are lots of small brown spots on the leaves. 
  
  Are they like these;
  
  
  
  Should I worry? If so, is it worth spraying them with copper sulphate, or is it too late?  
  
  Too late plus the fact it is not a curative!
  
  
  The crop are plum to egg sized at the minute - would they store?. 
  
  If it is blight the best thing to do is cut the haulms off at just above soil level, and destroy them i.e. do not compost them!
  
  There is no need to to lift them at this time they are in the best place for storage at the moment (underground)
  
  You just need to ensure that they are lifted before the onset of frost!
  
  If it is blight, I don't want it getting on my tomatoes and peppers in the polytunnel 
  
  If you remove the tops there will be no spores around to affect your tomatoes & peppers.
  
  
  
  As an aside; I have no way of telling if it is 'Blight' you have or just a heavy attack of 'Black spot' which is not so problematic!
  
  Another possibility is; it could be that water has got on the leaves and the sun has evaporated the water and singed the leaves in the process.
  
  Any chance of a few pictures?

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• Message 3

  , in reply to message 2.

  Posted by Thesassenach (U14884672) on Friday, 17th June 2011

  Bugger. It's early blight, Aternaria solani. Cut my losses and hack 'em all down? It must have been airborne, as legumes grew in that bed last year, and it got on the bags too. The bags were done later, in the hope of a second flush of earlies. There's nothing on the stems yet, just small black spots on the leaves. Would I get away with leaving the bags to develop for a few weeks, or would it wreck the tubers?

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• Message 4

  , in reply to message 3.

  Posted by Barney_pl (U13897738) on Friday, 17th June 2011

  As TeeGee says, act now. Cut off all foliage and stems, and destroy them. Do not compost!
  
  Have a black bin bag or three (obviously depends on how much stuff you have to clear) to hand so you put the diseased foliage straight into it and reduce the risk of spores being picked up on the wind, etc as you clear them away. Remember to wash hands and tools thoroughly after you've disposed of the infection.
  
  As it isn't affecting the stems yet, as Tee-Gee says, you can safely leave the potatoes in the ground / in their bags till you want to use them / need the space so long as you lift them before the first frost / move the bags into a frost-free environment.

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