State Agriculture Commissioner Darrel J. Aubertine alerted home gardeners and commercial growers this week of the potential introduction of late blight this growing season, which has been confirmed in Suffolk County.

Late blight is a plant disease that spreads rapidly from plant to plant in wet, cool weather. It primarily causes tomato and potato plants to wilt and die.

“To help protect the State’s potato and tomato crops, the Department has once again initiated a concerted strategy to enhance the State’s detection and eradication efforts for late blight this growing season,” Mr. Aubertine said in a released statement. “While the recent hot and dry weather patterns should reduce the spread of this plant disease, commercial growers and gardeners should always be on the lookout and take the recommended precautions to protect their plants.”

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