Episode 11.1: Protecting Idaho potatoes from fungi with new tools

For the gardeners out there, how do you deter pests? Meet Marty Ytreberg (go.uidaho.edu/3OLz49b), a professor in the physics department (go.uidaho.edu/40tUYjR) at University of Idaho and the director of the Institute for Modeling, Collaboration and Innovation (go.uidaho.edu/4rBxDZw). Alongside a large team of interdisciplinary scientists, Ytreberg is designing new fungicides to protect Idaho potatoes and, eventually, other crops. He delves into the steps his team uses to find a fungus’s weak spot and what makes a successful fungicide. Visit our website uidaho.edu/vandaltheory. Email us at [email protected]. Learn about Idaho’s premier research university, University of Idaho, at uidaho.edu.  Music  “Young Republicans” by Steve Combs (go.uidaho.edu/3U3MNHs) via freemusicarchive.org, not modified (go.uidaho.edu/3Q6LeY5).  “Cousins at Play” by Sam Cardon (go.uidaho.edu/4tR7DuZ) via Amphibious Zoo. Chapters (0:00) How do you deter garden pests? (2:56) Getting to know Marty Ytreberg (3:47) How did you start developing fungicides? (6:39) How do fungicides attack? (9:48) Steps to making a fungicide (13:48) Challenges of developing a fungicide (19:54) Can this go beyond fungi and potatoes? (23:18) Final thoughts