Timely Rains Benefit Manitoba Potato Crop

Jul 30, 2020

Manitoba's potato crop is in good condition heading into August.

Vikram Bisht with Manitoba Agriculture says timely rains have benefited the crop, however there are some farmers who have had to irrigate. Most of the crop is at the bulking stage.

He talked about one concern that farmers are dealing with.

"In some places we have heat runner issues, which basically means that when temperatures are over 28 or 29 degrees Celsius, the potatoes are stressed and they then start producing sprouts from the already formed tubers, or they will form chains."

Bisht says there have been no signs of late blight. He adds instances of European corn borer have been very low and the aphid population on seed potatoes is also very low.

Potato acres are higher than last year, according to Bisht, who says that processors were comfortable in their market assessment which led to an increase in acres.

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Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.