Met Éireann has issued a Status Yellow advisory for potato blight across the entire country until tomorrow morning (Tuesday, July 23).
The national metrological service said that conditions conducive to the spread of potato blight will be present especially across western and southwestern parts of Ireland.
These conditions will persist until Tuesday morning when cooler and fresher weather will then spread from the west with the risk of blight diminishing.
Potato blight is caused by a fungal-like organism called Phytophthora infestans.
The pathogen thrives in humid weather spreading rapidly on the foliage of potatoes and tomatoes, causing the leaves to decay and the crop to be infected
Despite advances in fungicides, varieties and forecasting, there is still no means of eradicating an outbreak of blight in a potato crop, meaning that prevention is key.
According to Teagasc, €5 million is spent annually on fungicides to mitigate against the disease.
Met Éireann
Meanwhile, Met Éireann has said that there will be mixed weather for the country for much of the coming week with rain or showers at times but some good dry periods too.
Current indications are that high pressure will then build towards the weekend.
Overall, rainfall amounts are expected to be below average over much of the country, ranging from 5 to 20mm, highest in Atlantic coastal areas.
In the week ahead, mean air temperatures will generally be within a degree of average, ranging between 14° to 16°, coolest in Atlantic and northern areas. Soil temperatures will likely remain near normal or slightly above.
There will be moderate or good opportunities for drying on Tuesday, though winds will be mostly light. The best opportunity for spraying will also be tomorrow.
Soil moisture deficits (SMD’s) across all soil types are generally between 10 and 57mm, highest in the east. However, soils are closer to saturation point in the northwest and far southwest.
SMDs will fluctuate a little over the course of the week due to mixed weather but are expected to range generally between 5 and 55mm by next week, with SMDs lowest in the northwest and far southwest and highest in the south and east.