BANGOR DAILY NEWS • December 22, 2022
Researchers at the University of Maine are currently exploring using lobster shells to combat soil pathogens in potato fields. Potatoes are a root crop, making them susceptible to soil borne diseases such as early dying syndrome. The fungus responsible for the disease is present in Maine soils and can wipe out half an annual crop. Together, potatoes and lobster were responsible for more than $900 million in value to the state’s economy in 2021, according to state and national agriculture statistics. The researchers at UMaine want to create a shell-to-spud combination to boost the viability of both the tubers and the crustaceans.