Potato pests

[oldmobie]

The second half of my potato harvest, I found what seems to be some kind of pest. It didn't spoil the potatoes, we just cut that part out. I'm just wondering if anyone can help identify it. It looks like the roots of some other plant grew through the tubers. The "roots" are about as stiff as a broom straw. I'll attach a picture, but the resolution isn't great. Sorry.



By the way, I don't need a whole thread to myself for this; anyone else with potato pests, go ahead and post here too.

[Joseph Lofthouse]

I've sometimes seen potatoes grow to engulf something in the soil, like a pine needle, or a twig... For that reason, I keep pine needles far away from my potato beds.

[ferdzy]

I've had the roots of twitch grass grow through potatoes. That doesn't look like twitch grass roots (too dark, too thin) but indeed, certain kinds of roots can grow through potatoes.

[paquebot]

Around here, wireworms will make a hole and quack grass roots then find it and continue through and keep going.

[rowan]

Looks like brown heart. It is caused by abrupt changes to growing conditions while the tuber is growing. Starts off as brown patches in the centre then the patches form star-like hollows (then called hollow heart). Caused by things like fluctuating temps, inconsistent watering or a large application of fertiliser.

[oldmobie]

Busy with a remodel and helping friends move, we neglected the garden badly this year. That had been a fairly weed free bed, but bermuda grass flopped over onto the straw and rooted down through it. That may be my prime candidate.

[khoomeizhi]

i've had that happen. definitely a grass root/rhizhome shooting through. whether they're pre-drilled by wireworms or not i couldn't say. the grass is what i've seen.

[shoshannah]

Good post!  These are things I haven't encountered before.  The garden here has loads of twigs and fir needles around, we're surrounded by forest.