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A team of Michigan State University (MSU) researchers has received a $750,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to develop and evaluate sustainable methods of managing potato early die complex.
Potato early die complex is caused by the convergence of a fungus, Verticillium dahliae, and nematode, Pratylenchus penetrans, which compromises the plant’s health before it’s able to reach maturity and can reduce yield by as much as 50 percent.
Previous MSU research concluded that poultry manure and a compost blend are effective at reducing P. penetrans populations and improving potato yield. The goal of the new project is to provide insight on a compost blend that has the desired antimicrobial characteristics to fend off potato early die complex.
