Met Éireann has today (Wednesday, July 5) issued a Status Yellow warning for potato blight for the entire country.
The national forecaster has said that weather conditions conducive to the spread of potato blight will affect many parts of the country, particularly in the west.
The warning will be valid until midday on Saturday (July 8).
Opportunities for spraying will be limited due to unsettled conditions with rain or showers expected on most days.
Potato blight is a disease caused by a fungal-like organism called Phytophthora infestans.
The disease spreads rapidly in humid weather in the foliage of potatoes and tomatoes, causing the foliage to decay and the potato to be infected.
Blight is the most important disease which affects the potato, in terms of the economic losses and environmental impact of disease management in Ireland.
According to Teagasc, around €5 million is spent by potato growers on fungicides annually in Ireland to mitigate the impacts of blight.
Met Éireann
Meanwhile, Met Éireann said that today will bring a mixture of sunny spells and scattered showers, some of which will be heavy in the north or northeast.
The westerly winds will be moderate to fresh with highest temperatures of 15° to 20°, coolest on western coasts.
The showers will become more isolated tonight before a band of rain and drizzle arrives later in the west.
Overnight temperatures will range from 10° to 13°, with the southwesterly breezes easing.
Thursday (June 6) will be a wet and windy day as the rain and drizzles pushes across the country.
The rain will be heaviest on Atlantic coasts where there is a risk of spot flooding. Highest temperatures will reach 15° to 19°.