UK: Uniform seed spacing ‘not vital for spud yield’

New research has hinted that consistent seed spacing may not influence final saleable potato yield as much as first thought and could spell the end for cup-type potato planters. A project by NIAB-CUF PhD researcher Simon Smart has been assessing the effect of seed spacing on the crop and initial results from the first year have made some interesting discoveries. “Work has shown that the variations from the target seed spacing may not be impacting too badly on crop performance, so we may have to question what our priorities are for planter performance,” said Mr Smart. However, he pointed out that it was still vital to ensure that the right numbers of tubers were planted on a wider scale, using the correct seed rate. More