Blight resistant varieties?

[Snadger]

I understand you can get blight resistant varieties of both potato and tomato.

What I was wondering is............by resistant, does it mean they won't get it or show any symptoms at all, or is it just that they aren't quite so susceptable and less likely to get it?

I have heard that resistafly carrots STILL get attacked by carrot fly so just wondered whether this was the same for resistant tatties/toms in a blighty area?

[teakdesk]

IIRC blight resistance in tomato and potato plants comes from the texture of the surface of the leaves which is "smoother" so the blight spores find it more difficult to stick to them.

These plants are just as susceptible to the disease as "normal" plants if the spores do manage to stick.

The word "resistant" implies "less likely to succumb" but does not imply that they will not get the disease.

[zazen999]

I tried Sarpo Mira last year for fallbacks in case my others got blight.

What they did was carry on growing with green [not black] foliage once a touch of blight had got it. We took the blighted leaves off and left it, just to see what happened, and they do come back looking good.

The potatoes themselves were horrid! Really tough old boots and it's the only time ever that we have thrown mash away.

[Alison]

I selected main crop which claimed to have some resistance to blight (with the exception of some PFAs) inc Valor and Romano. All did well with no trace of blight so I don't know if they would have done otherwise. Note some of my toms got it but the ones on the other side of the plot didn't so not sure why there eithe but not complaining.

[Noirin]

Sarpo Mira

We grew Sarpo Mira last year. Everybody loved them (including me and i don't eat spuds at all except for early home grown ones). I steamed them in their jackets and they were gorgeous! We have seed Sarpo Mira bought for this year.

[Snadger]

I tried Sarpo Mira last year for fallbacks in case my others got blight.

What they did was carry on growing with green [not black] foliage once a touch of blight had got it. We took the blighted leaves off and left it, just to see what happened, and they do come back looking good.

The potatoes themselves were horrid! Really tough old boots and it's the only time ever that we have thrown mash away.

The telltale signs of blighted potatoes are dark patches within the potato. Maybe cutting the blighted leaves offf saved the plant but the tubers were still affected in some way? Just a thought!

[zazen999]

The telltale signs of blighted potatoes are dark patches within the potato. Maybe cutting the blighted leaves offf saved the plant but the tubers were still affected in some way? Just a thought!

Possibly. They didn't look or feel strange in any way...until we came to eat them. Bleugh.

[womble]

Could be, I've eaten a blighted tomato before and it tasted awful, blegh.

Ferline is the blight resistant tomato I like and yes it can get blight, not sure about the leaves being smoother, because I notice that the plant succumbs to the disease alot slower than other tom plants.
In fact I don't overly worry about it, if one of them gets blight, I just snip it off back to healthy green and just check it every few days, I don't think I've ever lost a complete Ferline plant.
Gardeners delight however, lets blight spread like wildfire!

[Flummery]

I think they are just what they say Snadger - resistant, not immune. I've not tried any of them - I grow early spuds to avoid blight, and my toms are in the greenhouse I know that technically they could still get it, but so far so good. I feel that often flavour is sacrificed for resistance. I grow for flavour.

[Jeanied]

I think the tip to plant first earlies in succession is intended to get fast maturing spuds that aren't in the ground long enough to make blight a problem. As is the tip to mulch the soil under the foliage canopy so the spores don't splash back when it is wet.

[HayleyB]

I'm going to try Fantasio this year as they are meant to be blight resistant. My Garden Pearls didn't get blight last year when all the rest did so I'm growing them again this year.

[SarzWix]

We did Sarpo Axona, and Mira. None of the plants had any sign at all of blight, despite my Desiree getting it in the next door bed. No blotchy leaves anywhere. So in my experience, they're well worth it.
The potatoes themselves took a bit of getting used to. For mash they were best steamed, then dried in the pan, and they soaked up a ridiculous amount of milk & butter in the mashing process. But they were nice once done. Their high point was as roasties, but again, they soaked up a lot of fat.
I think the key with them is to time their growth, and chop the tops off at around 22 weeks because they just keep on growing and that's when you get odd tubers, with hollow bits, and too many knobbly bits.

[gojiberry]

I grew sarpo a couple of years ago, the odd leaf had a blight blotch but it didn't spread and didn't go into the potato. I let the plants grow on which isn't a good idea with sarpo as the tubers get huge with hollow middles. Wasn't keen on them so now just grow earlies. If you want blight resistant then sarpo are the ones to go for but like Flummery I want something to enjoy at the end of it.

Ian

[robD]

I grew Sarpo Axona last year and they laughed in the face of blight when most other people were suffering with it badly. Didn't seem to be affected by it at all. Good size potatoes, kept well, tasted crap! I'm taking my chances with blight this year for a decent tasting spud, and I can't see myself going back to them anytime soon.

[Hazel at the Hill]

I'm growing a few Setanta this year - Tattieman recommends them as being both blight resistant and tasty.