First Canadian case of zebra chip pathogen discovered in Alberta

Oct 19, 2017

Scientists discovered the pathogen in a potato psyllid

By Diego Flammini
News Reporter
Farms.com

Canadian researchers have discovered a pathogen in Alberta that could be problematic for potato growers.

After four years of research, Dr. Dan Johnson, a professor of environmental science with the University of Lethbridge, and Dr. Larry Kawchuk, a research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, found the zebra chip pathogen in a potato psyllid, a crop pest.

Their discovery marks the first time the zebra chip pathogen has been confirmed in Canada.

Potato psyllid
Photo: PotatoPro.com

The psyllid, which can carry the pathogen, can also be found in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, according to Johnson.

And despite the low number of psyllids with the zebra chip pathogen, farmers need to be aware that the pathogen is now in the country.

“This can absolutely be an issue for farmers,” Johnson told Farms.com today. “The pathogen mainly requires monitoring at the moment because our rate is very low. But it’s the very first occurrence and that can’t be overlooked.”

The zebra chip pathogen can cause serious yield reductions and quality issues. Potatoes infected with zebra chip can develop unsightly dark lines when fried, making the effected potatoes unsellable.

The discovery also means the pathogen continues to move north.

The zebra chip pathogen was first discovered in Mexico in the late 1990s, according to the American Phytopathological Society.

Since then, the pathogen traveled into the United States. In 2014, farmers in Texas and Nebraska spent an average of US$704 and US$563 per hectare, respectively, to manage the pathogen, according to the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service.

“The pathogen has been in Idaho for several years too, but so far Canada has only had the potato psyllid,” Johnson said. “But they were all basically testing negative for the pathogen until now.”

Top photo: Evidence of zebra chip in potatoes
Photo: American Phytopathological Society

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.