New Website Takes Dead Aim At Potato Virus Y
January 4, 2012 
Growers concerned about Potato Virus Y (PVY) can now turn to a Web page dedicated to the disease, which has re-emerged in the past decade as a serious problem where seed potatoes are grown. The website, a cooperative production from Cornell University, the USDA, the University of Wisconsin, and the University of Idaho, can be found here.
The site provides a variety of information related to PVY strains, and variety-strain interactions in tubers and leaves, says Jeff McMorran, an Oregon State University certification specialist. McMorran recently alerted the PotatoNet Group about the website. He says the site has an excellent collection of photographs showing PVY symptoms under a variety of conditions in selected varieties. Also, a discussion forum is available in which growers can pose specific questions to a variety of experts in this field, as well as links to other useful resources. “It’s well worth a look,” he said.
According to the website, there are two major contributing factors to PVY:
– Widespread acceptance of potato varieties that express mild or no leaf mosaic symptoms of PVY infection, making detection of infected seed potatoes very difficult.
– Displacement of the ordinary PVY strain by necrotic strains and recombinant strains (genes from both strains), once thought to be excluded from the U.S.
The website’s mission: “Diminish virus in seed stocks and halt virus spread through refinement of PVY management strategies used by growers and seed certifiers.”
For more information, check out American Vegetable Grower columnist’s Phil Nolte’s take: Potato Pointers: The New Face Of Potato Virus Y. Nolte is Extension seed potato specialist, University of Idaho, Idaho Falls, ID.
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