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Glite Dictionary
potato mold

potato mold

5.4
A disease caused by a fungus that makes potatoes rot in fields
  • noun
  • /pəˈteɪtoʊ moʊld/
  • Specialized
translation icon : moho de la papa
  • Symptoms of potato mold include dark spots and rapid decay of tubers.

Examples

  • The farmer lost a significant portion of his crop to potato mold last season.

  • Experts recommend crop rotation to prevent the spread of potato mold in fields.

  • Farmers are concerned about potato mold this season.

  • The potato mold spread rapidly in the fields.

  • Experts recommend crop rotation to prevent the spread of potato mold in fields.

  • Symptoms of potato mold include dark spots and rapid decay of tubers.

  • The farmer lost a significant portion of his crop to potato mold last season.

Synonyms

potato blight
vspotato mold
5.2

A plant disease that makes potato leaves and potatoes rot

is a fungal problem that often destroys entire crops rather than parts
potato murrain
vspotato mold
  • Archaic
9.9

A disease that kills potato plants and ruins crops

is the broader fungal term not restricted to that single pathogen
late blight
vspotato mold
  • Specialized
7.3

A serious plant disease that attacks potatoes and tomatoes late in the growing season

is not limited to late timing and can occur at other stages
potato mildew
vspotato mold
  • Specialized
4.6

A plant disease that makes potato leaves and potatoes rot

is a fungal condition that typically causes more widespread crop loss
potato disease
vspotato mold
  • Specialized
3.6

An illness that makes potato leaves yellow and tubers rot

is specifically a fungal illness that causes rot and crop destruction

Surface Forms

potato mold singular
potato molds plural

Morphology

potato + mold

The meaning 'a fungus affecting potatoes' is directly and literally derived from combining 'potato' (the crop) with 'mold' (a fungal growth); it denotes mold that occurs on or damages potatoes. This straightforward noun–noun compounding follows common semantic patterns cross‑linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Potato mold comes from seeing mold grow on potato plants and potatoes. Farmers saw the fuzzy growth make the potatoes rot, so potato and mold together came to mean this crop 'disease'.