Stan:

My mother has planted a huge amount of Red Pontiac potatoes on her garden near Thorhild.
Can you tell us what type of disease or pest they have - in the flesh there is a pin head size brown spot in some of the flesh of the potatoes. Can you tell us what it is and how you can either treat the potatoes or the soil so that it does not affect her other crop. Her potatoe garden is roughly half an acre.

Thanks
Ignazio

Ignazio - The signs of the pest in the potatoe tubers is the escape route of a larvae from a flying moth, usually green or white. These moths lay their eggs in the leaf or stem of the potatoe as soon as the plant begins to develop leaves after the tuber has been planted.

The egg larvae in the plant travels through the fluid of the plant, and down into the forming tuber.

There is really no pesticide that is used, as it would break down too soon in the sun to have any real advantage.

The best defense against these pests would be to use a white row cover cloth called Remay Garden Cloth.

This cloth is used on acres of veggie produce in the States and lower mainland of B.C.

Hope this helps.