What is going on with the skin of this sweetpotato?
This sweetpotato has a superficial disease known as scurf (Monilochaetes infuscans). Scurf develops on the skin of the sweetpotato and is not visible on the flesh after peeling the skin. Though infected sweetpotatoes are still perfectly edible, this cosmetic defect renders them unmarketable. Scurf development is favored by high moisture and humidity, and symptoms can appear both in the soil and in storage. To manage scurf, plant sweetpotatoes in a site where they haven’t been grown in at least three years, use certified seed for producing slips, and clean harvesting and storage equipment carefully. Several fungicides are also labeled for scurf management. Read more about scurf here.
This week’s question is from Cory Tanner, Extension Horticulture Team Leader.
The South Carolina Grower 