i'm wondering what is the likelyhood of this year's extensive late blight occurrence in the northeast likely to cause it to resurfacing next year?
i wondered if it overwintered in the soil or on trees or grass - in other words can we expect this to be wide spread again in 2010?
i found this so i suspect the answer is no or is this information incorrect?
"Late blight is caused by the fungus Phytophthora infestans. Unlike most pathogenic fungi, the late blight fungus cannot survive in soil or dead plant debris. For an epidemic to begin in any one area, the fungus must survive the winter in potato tubers (culls, volunteers), be reintroduced on seed potatoes or tomato transplants, or live spores must blow in with rainstorms. Disease development is favored by cool, moist weather. Nights in the 50's and days in the 70's accompanied by rain, fog or heavy dew are ideal. Under these conditions, lesions may appear on leaves within 3-5 days of infection, followed by the white mold growth soon thereafter. Spores formed on the mold are spread readily by irrigation, rain and equipment. They are easily dislodged by wind and rain and can be blown into neighboring fields within 5-10 miles or more, thus beginning another cycle of disease."
from
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/3000/3102.html
tom