![]() Pests like the Colorado potato beetle and disease-spreading aphids have flourished with the changing climate, said Jim Dill, pest management specialist at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. “If we want potatoes to be continued to be produced successfully in Maine, we need to be able to produce varieties that can be resistant to change.” “The predictions for climate change are heavier rainfall events, and potatoes don’t tolerate flooding or wet conditions for long without having other quality problems,” Porter said. ![]() Porter fears that even the beloved variety isn’t as heat tolerant as necessary to resist the ongoing effects of climate change. Maine is coming off of a banner year for potato crops thanks in large part to the success of the Caribou russet, a potato developed through UMaine’s breeding program. Developing a potato that is resistant to the changing climate is more important now than ever.
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