Every year, Dr Eugenia Banks, potato specialist with the Ontario Potato Board hosts a training day on how to scout potato fields. This year, in response to COVID-19, the training session is being brought online into a three-part webinar series, reports Stephanie Gordon for Potatoes in Canada.
On May 21 and May 28, Potatoes in Canada, with support from BASF, will host three webinars on scouting best practices for diseases, pests and physiological disorders in potatoes.
“I have trained potato scouts for many, many years,” Banks explained in an email at the start of discussions to move the training online. “This year, the pandemic will not allow me to have [an in-person] training session for potato scouts.”
However, Banks did note that an upside to hosting the sessions online is that the platform allows for anyone to attend, even outside of Ontario.
Sessions are split up in three session over two days:
- Thursday, May 21, 2020
- Diseases: morning session – 11:00 AM EDT
- Insects: afternoon session – 2:00 PM EDT
- Thursday, May 28, 2020
- Physiological Disorders and Injuries: 2:00 PM EDT
Visit the webinar registration page for more information on what will be covered in each session and to register.
Visit Potatoes in Canada here to read the full report by Stephanie Gordon.
