U of I potato expert to lead a team of researchers in a project to target potato viruses

Led by the University of Idaho potato virus expert, Alex Karasev, a team of researchers will lead a project to target potato viruses causing detrimental losses to the potato industry.

FOR ITS POTATOES ...IN FACT ...ACCORDING TO THEDEPARTMENT OFAGRICULTURE IDAHOPRODUCES NEARLYONE-THIRD OF ALLU.S. POTATOES.BUT VIRUSESSPREADINGTHROUGH THEINDUSTRY ARELEADING TO MAJORLOSSES FOR POTATOFARMERS.IDAHO NEWS 6REPORTER LYNSEYAMUNDSON TELLS USHOW A UNIVERSITYOF IDAHO TEAM ISWORKING TOMITIGATEPOTENTIALLYCRIPPLING LOSSES."IT'S VERY FITTINGBECAUSE IDAHO ISTHE BIGGESTPOTATO PRODUCINGSTATE IN THECOUNTRY."THE SCIENTISTSRECEIVED AN OVER 5MILLION DOLLARGRANT FROM THEU-S DEPARTMENT OFAGRICULTURE TOTARGET VIRUSES P-V-Y IN POTATOES ANDP-M-T-V IN SEEDPOTATOES..."BOTH OF THESEVIRUSES MAKE THEQUALITY GO DOWNESSENTIALLYMAKING ITUNUSABLE FORPROCESSING OR FORFRESH MARKETS ORFOR ALL OTHERAPPLICATIONS."WHICH ACCORDINGTO THE U OF I STUDYTHE VIRUSESCAUSES ANESTIMATED LOSS OF34 MILLION DOLLARSA YEAR FOR IDAHO'SPOTATO INDUSTRY."IN ADDITION TOJUST SIMPLE YIELDLOSS, YOU WILL ENDUP WITH COMPLETEQUALITY LOSS SOIT'S A PRETTYSIGNIFICANTPROBLEM AND THEINDUSTRY ISACTUALLYSTRUGGLING WITHTHESE VIRUSES FORQUITE SOME TIME."IMMEDIATELY THEYHOPE TO DEVELOPBETTER TESTING TOHELP SEED POTATOPRODUCERS LIMITTHE SPREAD OF THEVIRUSES IN THEFIELDS AND ALSO..."ESSENTIALLYMANAGING THEEFFECT OF THESEVIRUSES ON THEFAR, TRYING TO FINDTHE SOLUTIONSEITHER TREATMENTSOR SPECIALADAPTIONS TOMITIGATE THEEFFECT OF THEVIRUS."THEY EVENTUALLYHOPE TO DEVELOPGENES THAT CANPROVIDERESISTANCE TO THEVIRUSES SOGROWERS CAN HAVEVIRUS-FREEPOTATOES"IT'S VERYIMPORTANT WE FEELVERY RESPONSIBLEFOR ALL THEPOTATOESWELLBEING IN OURCOUNTRY."LYNSEYAMUNDSON...IDAHONEWS 6.