Potato farmers in Kensington, Prince Edward Island, are being warned about an unusually early arrival of Green Peach Aphids after the first one of the season was found on June 22, 2026. Staff with the PEI Department of Agriculture say the pest appeared four to six weeks sooner than normal, and numbers are already higher than they have been at this point in the last couple of years.
“This is extremely early to find a Green Peach Aphid,” said Ryan Barrett, research and agronomy specialist with the PEI Potato Board, in the latest Agronomy Update. The alert is especially concerning because potato plants are still emerging later than usual due to a cool, wet spring. Kensington saw 35 mm of rain on June 24 alone, adding to the challenging conditions.
Green Peach Aphids can spread Potato Virus Y, a disease that hurts yields and seed quality. The bug can pick up and pass on the virus within seconds, making young plants easy targets. Growers who produce seed potatoes are being told to apply mineral oil and insecticides right away, even if crops have only just come up. “Plants are very vulnerable to infection at early stages of development,” the update stressed.
There is some good news. Virus levels in this year’s crop are as low as they have been in years. Still, experts want farmers to stay on guard. The warning comes on the heels of a tough 2025 season, when dry weather cut potato yields by roughly 16 percent across the Island, leaving many operations with tighter supplies and higher costs heading into this year.
For growers who want to sharpen their pest-scouting skills, a Potato Scouting Workshop is set for June 30 at the Emerald Community Centre in Emerald. The session is put on by the PEI Department of Agriculture, the PEI Potato Board, and the East Prince Agri-Environment Association. Registration is $40 and includes lunch. To sign up, contact Rodrigo dos Santos at the Department of Agriculture by calling (902) 314-1607.
