Currently, unusually hot weather is slowing down Wisconsin's potato harvest. Around 70 percent of the state's potato crop has already been harvested, but some growers are delaying their work out of fear the unseasonable heat could cause the harvested potatoes to rot.
Kevin Schleicher, sales director for Wysocki Family of Companies, said his Portage County farm is only halfway through harvesting potatoes. They got started earlier than normal, but Schleicher said they're now several days behind because of rain and abnormally warm weather in the last two weeks. Of course, wet soils and higher temperatures increase the chance for disease that can cause potatoes to rot while in storage.
Wpr.org reports on Amanda Gevens, potato and vegetable pathologist for the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Division of Extension, saying that potatoes are already generating heat heading into harvest through a process called respiration. If weather conditions raise the temperature of the tubers even further, that can make it difficult for farmers to properly cool them down for storage.
Ontario’s potato harvest battles rising temperatures
The recent heat wave sweeping through Canada’s Ontario province has put a damper on the potato harvest. Around noon, the mercury is touching a scorching 29oC, making it perilous to dig up potatoes. Ideally, potatoes should be harvested when the pulp temperatures are between 10-15oC. Any temperature above 18oC can lead to diseases like soft rot and Pythium leak, which can infect the tubers through any bruises or minor wounds.
Source: potatonewstoday.com