A survey of pesticide use in fall potato production was conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1979. Information on pesticide use is reported for Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. An estimated 8.8 million pounds (active ingredient) of pesticides were used to control weeds, diseases, insects, and nematodes. Chemicals were also used to kill potato vines before harvest and to control the growth of sprouts on tubers in storage. More land area was treated with insecticides than any other category of pesticides. Of the 542,000 acres planted to potatoes in the Western region, 93 percent were treated with an insecticide. About 2 million acre-treatments were made with all pesticides, with 4.3 pounds (a.i.) applied per acre treatment. Nematode control accounted for 60 percent of the quantity of pesticides; however, only 8 percent of the planted acres were treated. Coefficients of variation were calculated for acres treated with specific pesticides.
