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Cause of Potato Scab. The cause of common potato scab is a bacterium, Streptomyces Scabies, found in the soil. It is most common on light, sandy soils, low in organic matter. Soils that were previously grassland are particularly liable to having the disease. Soils with a high pH (recently limed) provide a better environment for the bacteria.
Email. Itâs important to distinguish between the potatoes themselves and the sprouts that grow on them. Potato sprouts are considered toxic due to their potentially high concentration of glycoalkaloids, says Dr. Nora Olsen, an associate extension professor and potato specialist at the University of Idaho.