Potato growers are being warned to look out for rotting tubers soon after storage following outbreaks of rain-induced soft rot in some fields.

Despite a generally positive forecast for this year's crop, the British Potato Council (BPC) is telling growers to be vigilant after receiving a number of calls about the disease.

Soft rot, a seed-borne disease, is caused by Erwinia bacteria and causes blackleg in the crop.

It is worsened by wet conditions and is particularly noticeable when harvested potatoes are loaded into trailers or boxes.

This leads to tuber break-down in localised pockets in the store, and can spread throughout the harvest, compromising storage life.

According to Adrian Cunnington, operations manager at the BPC's Sutton Bridge Experimental Unit, a rogue temperature reading can be an indication of trouble.

"But the first sign of trouble in a store is usually the smell. Any rotting tubers will need to be ventilated thoroughly and, if possible, cooled quickly," he claimed.

Aside from these outbreaks, the crop is looking healthy, Cunnington said.

"There was enough rain to keep some soil on the web, so bruising is not a problem. But it has been dry enough to ensure potatoes are fairly clean and generally sound for storage," he explained.

According to the BPC for fresh and pre-packed outlets, the emphasis now is to keep diseases, such as black dot, to a minimum.

"Recent BPC research at Sutton Bridge has shown a fast temperature pull-down helps preserve skin finish and keeps black dot in check," said Cunnington.

The council is advising growers to use fans to remove the moisture from the crop and cool it down to 2.5-3.5°C and keep monitoring it closely.

More advice and the latest storage bulletin can be found on the BPC website www.potato.org.uk, while growers and store managers with specific queries can call the BPC Storage Advice Line's freephone number on 08000 282111.

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