Research to fund projects targeting potato diseases, postharvest concerns

Research proposals funded by the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service include projects addressing potato diseases, pests and postharvest disorders affecting potato-producing states and the national potato industry.

USDA-ARS funded 23 research projects totaling nearly $1.2 million, including a Washington State University initiative to develop new tolls to predict migration of insect vectors into potato crops and a North Dakota State University effort to expand the utility of direct dormant tuber testing.

A full list of projects is available online. (.pdf)

Each initiative includes cooperative research between USDA-ARS researchers, state agricultural experiment stations and other active potato research programs.
The funding is determined by requests and reviews of organizations including stakeholders from potato-producing states and the National Potato Council.

In a news release, the NPC thanked its volunteers who assisted in the review process: Scott Fenters (Oregon), Trey Jones (Colorado), John Nordgaard (North Dakota), and Chris Hopkins (North Carolina).