RHINELANDER - We're approaching a critical time for crops throughout Wisconsin.

It's been an up and down year for farmers, one of the biggest challenge is drought conditions.

Some also have faced flooding.

Now farmers could face another challenge tomato and potato late blight.

It's the same disease that caused the Irish Potato Famine.

The UW-Extension office warns growers that cool and wet conditions are prime for late blight development.

Horticulture assistant Marissa Hatlen says there’s little you can do to treat late blight if your garden or crop has already been hit.

"We're recommending a preventative fungicide application," Hatlen says. "Anything that contains chlorothalonol or copper as an active ingredient. Once late blight has hit your garden, these fungicides won't be as effective but all affected plant debris with late blight should be removed immediately."

UW-Extension found two cases of potato blight in Oneida County.

Other cases were found in Adams, Barron, and Portage counties.

"The concern right now is that the plants have been weakened by any drought stress or heat stress or flooding stress up in the northern regions of Wisconsin are going to be more affected by this pathogen. It's going to attack anything that's already weakened by other types of stress."

UW-Extension encourages people to contact its office if you encounter potato blight.

Story By: Matt Doyle