Eradicating potato pest is tough going

BOISE (AP) - A team of scientists at the University of Idaho is trying to find a way to stop a microscopic parasite which damages potato crops and has now infested 2,400 acres in southeastern Idaho.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that the eight-year-old infestation of the pale cyst nematode has spread to 22 fields within a 5-mile radius. The fields are in northern Bingham County and southern Bonneville County. The agency in a release Wednesday says 8,500 acres in all are being regulated.

Meanwhile, university researchers are trying to find ways to eradicate the nematode with methods besides harsh chemicals that are being phased out because of concerns about human health and the environment.

"The nematode is confined to a small area in southeastern Idaho, and it's not very mobile," said Dr. Louise-Marie Dandurand, director of the Pale Cyst Nematode Project at the University of Idaho. "So with that in mind, I think we do have a good chance of achieving the goal we have."

The discovery of the pale cyst nematode in seven fields in 2006 was the first detection of the pest in the U.S. Authorities have been trying to eradicate it ever since with some success. In May, though, authorities announced the discovery of the nematode in a 92-acre field in Bingham County.

The team at the university includes experts in molecular plant pathology, biochemistry and weed science, all searching for a solution.