Late Blight Found In Aroostook Potato Fields

PRESQUE ISLE (NEWS CENTER) -- Farmers in southern and central Maine have already reported cases of late blight in potato and tomato crops. Now the disease has spread to northern Maine.

Wednesday crop experts from the University of Maine Co-operative Extension confirmed the first reported cases in Aroostook County.

Late blight is an airborne, spore-based disease that can decimate a crop, and it thrives in moist conditions. Potato growers in the county say they've had plenty of moisture this summer, but they were hoping for an extended period of warm weather to dry out the soil and control the spread of the disease.

Late blight cases have been reported in Houlton, Easton, Fort Fairfield and Fort Kent. Experts say now that they've found it, the goal is managing the spread.

The disease has been found on both commercial farms and in home gardens. It spreads quickly from field to field and can travel long distances.

The symptoms of late blight are similar on potato and tomato leaves and stems. They begin as wet light-green lesions and within three to seven days of infection the lesions become brown or black.

The disease is not harmful to humans, but it ruins the quality of infected crops.