diseased potato

[bikermike]

Didn't take any pics I'm afraid.

3 beds of spuds. All growing nicely except the charlottes in one bed. They've gone yellow and flopped. No obvious black spots. When I've had blight in the past it took a lot longer to spread and seemed to spread from the leaves inward, this seems that the plant has just sickened and died. I pulled them up yesterday and the stem was brown and rotten underground.

I assume this is blight and am standing by to see if any spuds survive, any other possibilities?

[bario1]

Blackleg? Doubt it's blight this early in the season.

[nickdub]

I'd be surprised if it was blight at this time of year. Could the tubers and stems have been eaten by slugs in the soil ? Alternatively, as only one variety was affected, possibly the tubers you bought were diseased in some way ?

[Thelma Sanders]

Another vote for Blackleg, keep an eye on the plants nearest to it, and pull them up quickly if they start to sicken - but it doesn't usually spread much, only 1 or 2 at most

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=223

[bikermike]

thanks both! some avenues to look at.

They did go in just before some serious sogg, so it's possible they've rotted/been eaten underground. The other spuds in the same bed don't seem to be affected.

I assume in any event, the best thing to do is dig them out?

[bikermike]

thanks all three (sorry Thelma - cross posts...)

It'll be ironic if it's blackleg
"•Choose resistant cultivars. AHDB Potatoes produces the British Potato Variety Database, which lists resistant varieties including ‘Charlotte’,..."
(albeit they are not seed potatoes but sprouted supermarkets)

[Thelma Sanders]

thanks all three (sorry Thelma - cross posts...)

(albeit they are not seed potatoes but sprouted supermarkets)

Now you know why you pay more for seed potatoes! - they get tested a lot more and are much less likely to carry over diseases. You pays your money and take your choice

[Greenleaves]

You should burn the infected plant as blackleg is spread via bacteria not fungus spores

[1Bee]

Another vote for blackleg. I lost about 3 plants to it last year, good, certified seed potatoes. It happens sometimes, but didn't seem to spread much, just 2 in one bed, and 1 in another (different variety).

Good luck!

[Penellype]

I've had a couple of potatoes with blackleg this year (Lady C, which is supposed to be resistant). the potatoes will be edible if you eat them straight away, if you try to store them they will rot.

[Mr Bones]

Blackleg? Doubt it's blight this early in the season.

My first thoughts too