Volunteer potato can be a host of serious pest problems in potato and could provide a source of inoculum for subsequent potato crops. Volunteer potato can also be difficult to control in many rotational crops. Potato shoots were removed once, twice, and throughout the growing season, beginning at early and late tuberization. Compared with no shoot removal, two or more shoot removal treatments reduced the number of tubers 42% or more. A single shoot removal treatment at early tuberization reduced tuber biomass 37%, compared with 65% when shoot removal was initiated several weeks later. Regardless of timing, a single shoot removal increased the number and biomass of small tubers (≤ 57 g each). Control tactics that remove or kill volunteer potato shoots require repeated application or integration with other management practices to suppress the weed.

Nomenclature: Volunteer potato, Solanum tuberosum L.; potato, Solanum tuberosum L. ‘Russet Burbank’.

Additional index words: Groundkeeper, time of removal.