Potatoes in Practice leads the way in R&D
Record numbers attended Potatoes in Practice, sponsored by the Potato Council, hosted by the James Hutton Institute and with key involvement from Scottish Agricultural College (SAC).
Over 50 per cent of the record 823 people who attended the leading field-based potato event were either growers or agronomists making the most of this opportunity to catch up on the latest research.
A recent levy-payer survey examining the most important R&D areas/topics highlighted plant issues as being of major concern to the industry, and this was borne out by the amount of interest shown by leading growers and their advisers in the technical content of the event.
Moreover, minimising tuber blight should be growers’ top priority, notes Potato Council head of communications, Sharon Hall. The weather has been the main factor driving increased pressure. Blight came into crops later than in 2007 but its spread was faster, exacerbated by continual Smith periods across the country and unsuitable conditions for spraying, explains Dr Hall.
“However, the higher blight pressure means we have plenty of samples coming through from blight scouts as part of our Fight Against Blight programme monitoring populations. That means a good representative sample of all potato-growing areas of Britain.”
Other trial plots at the event brought visitors up-to-date with the latest progress in government and industry-funded research, with success highlighted in Potato Council-funded work on breeding potatoes for different uses and markets.
“Potato breeding is now entering a new phase that is really promising,” continues Dr Hall. “Molecular markers have been developed for selection of varieties for disease resistance and quality traits – and these have the potential for really making a difference to our industry.”
Other field trials and demonstrations that attracted numerous growers and agronomists included herbicide variety sensitivity trials and a haul destruction demonstration. The research-based solutions and advice on offer at PiP will prove valuable to the record number of visitors who attended, believes Potato Council head of seed and export, Rob Burns.
“The current pressures and in particular the threat of non-endemic diseases highlight the importance of the origin and provenance of seed. It’s vital that both seed and ware growers support the Safe Haven Certification Scheme since it offers the best chance of exclusion from serious disease threats.”
