POCATELLO, ID — Water management and soilborne diseases will take center stage at the 58th annual Idaho Potato Conference, set for Jan. 21–22 at Idaho State University’s Pond Student Union Building. The long-running event draws growers, researchers and industry leaders from across the region.
The conference runs 8 a.m.–5 p.m. on Jan. 21 and 8 a.m.–noon on Jan. 22. More than 70 vendors will participate in the trade show, and attendees will hear updates from the Idaho Potato Commission, Potatoes USA and the National Potato Council. Registration costs $40 per person through Jan. 14 and increases to $50 afterward; onsite registration will be available. Admission includes a potato bar lunch on Jan. 21, fried snacks from industry processors and access to a hospitality room sponsored by the Idaho Potato Commission.
James Woodhall, associate professor and Extension specialist of plant pathology, chairs the conference planning committee and said the gathering remains a key point of connection for the industry.
Conference sessions will include expanded content on water-related research, featuring work from two new University of Idaho faculty members: Emily Bedwell, an associate professor and Extension irrigation specialist, and Meetpal Kukal, an assistant professor of hydrologic science and water management. A panel titled “Water on the Line” will also be featured.
Soilborne diseases, identified as a rising concern for growers, will be the focus of a mini-symposium on Jan. 21. The session will cover disease biology and control, management strategies, impacts of variety selection on verticillium wilt and the causal agents behind early die. A panel discussion will address powdery scab and potato mop-top virus — two diseases currently lacking reliable management tools and listed as top research priorities by regional organizations.
Additional discussions will evaluate biological control products for potato disease management. Presentations will also be available in Spanish, focusing on wireworms, aphids, nutrient management, drought, soil types and potato varieties.
External speakers include Russell Groves of the University of Wisconsin, Washington State University potato specialist Mark Pavek, and Oregon State University Extension soil fertility specialist Amber Moore. Ben Ingalls of Industrial Ventilation in Nampa will address how potato storage may be affected by changes under the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act.
“This year we’ll have more panel discussions, more opportunities for engagement and new topics we haven’t had before,” said Assistant Professor Kasia Duellman, an Extension seed potato pathologist and planning committee member.
For more information, visit uidaho.edu/extension/events/
