Boise, ID – A bacteria made it to the Columbia River Basin and Southeastern Idaho just ahead of the frost. It’s the first time the bacteria has been identified in the Northwest. Emily Schwing reports.
Zebra chip bacteria is carried in the saliva of psyllids. These are tiny, black winged insects. Nora Olsen specializes in potatoes for the University of Idaho’s Extension.
“You really don’t have a problem unless you have psyllid movement,” says Olsen.
The psyllids likely flew north from warmer states like Texas. When the bugs suck juice out of a potato plant, they can spread the bacteria.
“It causes a higher level of sugars in the tuber. And then therefore when you fry that up, it causes darkening, and for some reason it’s not a consistent darkening and that’s why it causes this pattern of a zebra,” says Olsen.
Olsen says it’s not a serious problem. The stripey look doesn’t hurt the nutritional value or flavor. The bacteria were found in potatoes from Jerome. Researchers also identified the pest in Oregon and Washington. Potato economist Joe Guenthner says the pest can help Idaho’s tuber sales.
“If it’s costly to control and controls are not effective in Texas, Florida, California those other states, then there’s going to be a higher demand for Idaho potatoes in the winter and spring coming out of storage.”
That’s because the psyllid can survive winter in warmer climates. Idaho’s cold winter means the demise of pysllids carrying Zebra chip.