Internal potato tuber defects: Hollow heart and heat necrosis

Hollow heart, depending on its severity, is also called brown center. Hollow heart is characterized by the formation of an irregular cavity in the flesh of the tuber, usually surrounded by dark brown tissues. Heat necrosis is also referred to as internal brown and internal necrosis, which is characterized by small, brown, necrotic lesions or spots inside the vascular ring of the tuber.

Pink eye of potato

Pink eye is a disorder of potato tubers that can cause costly storage losses for potato growers and can reduce tuber quality to the point where tubers will be rejected by potato processors. Pink eye not only directly affects tubers, but also makes tubers more susceptible to diseases such as Pythium leak, bacterial soft rot, pink rot, and Fusarium dry rot. These diseases cause additional storage losses and reduction in quality.

Vegetable Crop Update – Aug 3, 2025

In this issue: Potato production updates and weather review | Imported Cabbage Worm and Squash Bug updates and management | Disease forecasting updates for potato early blight and late blight | Cucurbit downy mildew updates | Nicotianae blight of potato – a late blight ‘look alike’

Vegetable Crop Update – Jul 13, 2025

In This Issue: Weather and vegetable production updates | Colorado Potato Beetle update and management, PVY update and management | Disease forecasting updates for potato early blight and late blight | Cucurbit downy mildew updates | Sweet corn tar spot updates and management

Vegetable Crop Update – Jun 22, 2025

In This Issue: Impacts of current weather on potato productivity | Water quality program – irrigation water testing for nitrogen | Disease forecasting updates for potato early blight and late blight | Cucurbit downy mildew updates | Squash vine borer, Potato leafhopper, Cucumber beetles, Aster leafhopper, Colorado Potato beetles and their management

Vegetable Crop Update – Jun 8, 2025

In This Issue: Temperature, precipitation, and air quality impacts on vegetable production | Disease forecasting updates for potato early blight and late blight | Cucurbit downy mildew updates | Cabbage maggot, seedcorn maggot, and Colorado potato beetle risks and management