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Irish Times
4 days ago
- Health
- Irish Times
Is it too late to save my blighted potato plants?
My potato plants are showing signs of blight, with some of the leaves starting to discolour and drop off. Is it too late to save them? I don't really want to spray them unless it's necessary. Michael D, Galway Unfortunately, early summer's rainy, humid weather created exactly the sort of conditions suitable for the spread of potato blight, the famously destructive fungal disease that can badly damage and even destroy potato plants as well as the tubers developing underground. It can also strike tomato plants, with similarly depressing consequences. Controlling it is challenging, especially if you're growing your plants in an area with other potato plants growing nearby – for example, on an allotment site – where the risk of the disease leapfrogging from one crop to another is high. READ MORE The conventional approach is to spray plants with a protective fungicide several times during the growing season to prevent infection. Some of these conventional fungicides are non-systemic, acting only as a protective layer, while others are systemic, being absorbed deep into the tissue of the plant. Neither is effective as a treatment for already infected plants, nor are they considered organically acceptable. [ How to get the best out of your potatoes Opens in new window ] Instead, organic gardeners favour a combination of planet-friendly methods that include choosing potato varieties with proven high blight resistance; growing 'early varieties' that are ready to harvest much more quickly and are thus less vulnerable to the disease than slower-to-mature main crop varieties; practising good cultural controls such as crop rotation and generous spacing between individual plants; removing old tubers that have overwintered in the ground as well as 'volunteer' plants in spring; and using natural biostimulants such as Herfomyc, which boost the plants' ability to resist infection. You can also slow the spread of the disease in infected plants by handpicking and carefully binning individual infected leaves. But once it has spread to roughly a quarter of the crop, you should cut back all the plants to just above the ground and then carefully bin burn/ dispose of all the afflicted top growth. This will slow down the spread of blight to the tubers themselves, which can be left in the ground for up to several weeks to ripen before being harvested. [ Should you chit seed potatoes before planting them? Opens in new window ] Some gardeners like to combine this method with a layer of plastic sheeting or horticultural fleece spread over the bare soil after the stems have been cut back. The thinking here is that this also helps to prevent the fungal spores from infecting the tubers themselves.
Associated Press
12-03-2025
- Health
- Associated Press
Marquis Who's Who Honors Michael D. McCann, MD, MBA, for Excellence in Health Care and Education
UNIONDALE, NY / / March 12, 2025 / Marquis Who's Who honors Michael D. McCann, MD, MBA, for his excellence in health care and education. Dr. McCann is an assistant professor of clinical medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and co-owner of Sylvan Ventures LLC. With his intellectual curiosity, desire to assist others in traversing the complex medical system and passion for treating various medical conditions, Dr. McCann's professional journey began with a strong academic foundation. He earned a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry from Allegheny College, graduating cum laude in 2012. He then obtained a Doctor of Medicine from Penn State College of Medicine in 2016. Later, Dr. McCann earned a Master of Business Administration from the Quantic School of Business and Technology in 2022. Other pursuits highlight Dr. McCann's dedication to the field, including receiving various certifications in general pediatrics from the American Board of Pediatrics and internal medicine from the American Board of Internal Medicine, both obtained in 2020. Understanding and practicing health system science is paramount for effectively addressing the system's complex challenges and Dr. McCann considers his teachings at Vanderbilt University to be significant in advancing the health care system. A Medical Professional While he has served as the assistant professor of clinical medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center since 2020, Dr. McCann is also the medical director of the comprehensive care program, the Vanderbilt Interdisciplinary Care Program (VICP), where he ensures consistent, high-quality care for patients with complex medical and social needs. Having excelled as the medical director of VICP, he has established himself as an innovator within the field of comprehensive care. Dr. McCann is a driven leader passionate about providing care to patients in acute care settings and ensuring the highest standard of care for all patients. Dr. McCann has dedicated his career to improving patient outcomes, focusing on hospital medicine and comprehensive care for high-need, high-cost populations at risk for recurrent hospitalizations. However, he also pursues other ventures, including serving as a co-owner of Sylvan Ventures LLC, founded in 2023 and Aimed Intentions LLC, founded in 2022. Recognitions for Contributions Dr. McCann has made significant contributions to the field through various scholarly publications. His work, much of which has centered on disease care, has appeared in Health Affairs Scholar, CJC Open and the Journal of Pediatric Intensive Care. Dr. McCann has been recognized for his contributions to medical education and quality improvement throughout his career. In 2023, he received the Quality Improvement and Scholarship Award from Vanderbilt University Medical Center's Section of Hospital Medicine, and in 2020, the Scholarship in Education Award from the Woodward Center for Excellence in Health Sciences Education at Penn State Health. More Than a Doctor Beyond his professional work, Dr. McCann is an active member of several esteemed organizations, such as the Society of Hospital Medicine, the Society of General Internal Medicine and the American Academy of Pediatrics. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics (FAAP) and a fellow of the American College of Physicians (FACP). Dr. McCann attributes his professional success to his resilient mindset, which significantly developed in medical school when he overcame the struggles related to a learning disability. This experience inspired his interest in self-improvement, leading him to pursue an MBA to further his skills. Outside the lecture hall, Dr. McCann enjoys spending time with his family, playing soccer, exercising, cooking and reading. Over the next five to 10 years, he aims to achieve further career milestones, such as attaining professorship status at Vanderbilt and advancing the field of comprehensive care as a distinct discipline within academic medicine. Dr. McCann aims to become the chief medical officer of an academic medical center to improve population health. About Marquis Who's Who®: Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms worldwide. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website,
