For the Journal

POCATELLO - A Thursday morning seminar at the 41st Annual University of Idaho's annual Idaho Potato Conference focused on solutions for a set of problems that industry officials said could cripple the state's potato industry if left unchecked.

Key professionals in the industry were brought to Idaho State University's Pond Student Union Building on Wednesday and Thursday to give seminars and workshops to Idaho potato growers in conjunction with the Agricultural Expo.

One seminar focused on the new practices used to control the many different species of microscopic roundworms called nematodes that can infest potato fields and ruin harvests or lead to a ban on exporting potatoes from the state.

Saad L. Hafez gave seminars on Wednesday and Thursday about the new chemical and nonchemical control practices for the many different species of nematodes that can affect Idaho potatoes.

Hafez created the nematology program in Idaho at the University of Idaho 27 years ago, and since then he has been researching chemical and nonchemical control practices for the nematodes that affect Idaho potatoes.

Hafez also found the potato cyst nematode infestation in the Blackfoot area in 2006. That particular species of nematode is classified as a quarantined pest, and if Hafez had not caught it in time, the infestation could have led to a ban on exporting Idaho potatoes.

The various species of nematodes that are found in Idaho each affects potatoes in its own way. Some are not harmful to consume.

But they cause brown spots and other blemishes that will cause certain potato buyers like McDonald's to reject the potatoes because of a zero-tolerance policy for flaws.

Other species allow viruses to spread through potato fields, causing deformations and other problems in the formation of the potatoes, such as a dry, cracked exteriors.

"We emphasize the nonchemical approach first and also pest management, which includes crop rotation using resistant varieties and prevention through sanitation. If the problem still persists, we can then use the chemical approach," said Hafez.

Hafez began the nonchemical nematode prevention section of his presentation with a list of different nematode-resistant crops that can be planted in the place of potatoes to reduce nematode populations in the soil, such as oil radish and arugula.

Hafez stressed the importance of nonchemical nematode prevention through proper equipment cleaning, discontinuing the use of drainage water for irrigation, weed control, using clean seed and crop rotation. But he also highlighted some new chemicals that can be applied with simple equipment during or after planting, an improvement on traditional chemicals that had to be applied the year before planting.

Hafez said great strides have been made by chemical companies in recent years, and he has been testing several new chemicals and achieving results near 100 percent nematode control when the proper dose is applied.

However, Hafez said that most of the new chemicals are being held up in the Environmental Protection Agency's testing process and have not yet been registered for use.