No-nonsense, no-frills potato news stories from around the world
The renewal process for glyphosate’s licence in Great Britain is at a crucial point, with a public consultation from the Health and Safety Executive scheduled for early next year. This consultation will allow input on a scientific dossier from the Glyphosate Renewal Group, aiming for approval by late 2026. Farming organisations advocate for glyphosate’s continued use, emphasizing its importance for food security and farm viability.
Scientists from The James Hutton Institute, in collaboration with the University of York and Université Libre de Bruxelles, have identified how the destructive pathogen Phytophthora infestans evades plant defenses. By using AA7 oxidases, the pathogen disables plants’ early warning systems. This discovery offers promising avenues for enhanced crop protection, crucial for addressing global food security challenges, particularly as climate change exacerbates vulnerabilities in agriculture.
The World Potato Congress Inc. will host a webinar, “Crop Rotation for WireWorm Control,” on December 10, 2025, featuring Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada entomologist Dr Christine Noronha. The session will highlight how crop rotations can reduce wireworm pressure, protect potato quality and fit into integrated pest management strategies. Noronha will share multi-year research findings and practical guidance for growers and advisors.
Heat, humidity and shifting weather patterns are reshaping the pest and disease risk map for potatoes. Warmer seasons mean more insect generations, changing late and early blight windows, and the spread of “southern” threats like zebra chip, tuber moth and bacterial wilt into new regions. The article explores how these pressures collide in fields and storages, and how growers are adapting with scouting, varieties, storage design and climate risk management.
The province is negotiating to buy approximately half of the potato wart index fields in Prince Edward Island as part of a new buyback program. With 37 such designated sites identified by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the province is utilizing $10.5 million for this purpose. Agriculture Minister Bloyce Thompson expressed optimism about the program, which aims to restore the fields through reforestation efforts.
Glyphosate use in the UK has increased significantly over the last thirty years, particularly due to the adoption of min-till systems that depend on chemicals for weed control. However, attention is now turning towards sustainable practices aimed at improving soil biology and crop health. As costs rise and resistance to chemicals becomes a concern, farmers are exploring responsible weed control methods.
Climate change is reshaping the patterns and risks of potato diseases like late blight, viruses, and nematodes, outpacing current management strategies, writes Lukie Pieterse in this article. Increasing temperatures and moisture are creating unpredictable disease baselines, complicating traditional forecasting. Advanced monitoring, including machine learning and portable diagnostics, is improving disease surveillance. However, the industry faces challenges with evolving resistance and regulatory pressures.
The disease that led to the Irish Potato Famine still causes significant losses in potato crops, costing about $10 billion annually. Ahead of COP30, the International Potato Center has introduced CIP-Asiryq, a new late blight-resistant variety developed with Indigenous communities, requiring fewer fungicides and cooking faster than the Yungay variety. This innovation aims to enhance food security and provide options for smallholder farmers facing climate change challenges.
Decision-support systems for potato late blight have finally grown up. Today’s apps fuse hyperlocal weather, calibrated blight models, and farm telemetry to convert risk curves into clear spray decisions—what day, which actives, and how to apply. Side-by-side trials show calendar programs can often be matched or beaten with fewer sprays when data quality is high. The real limiter isn’t math—it’s workflow, station hygiene, and disciplined verification across fields and seasons.
On-farm DNA diagnostics for seed potato growers are rapidly advancing, enabling same-day results for virus and blackleg testing. Portable tools using isothermal amplification and CRISPR technologies enhance decision-making, facilitating timely rogueing or lot rejection before planting. These methods complement accredited lab tests by providing quick triage options. Key targets include PVY, PVA, PLRV, and bacterial wilt, improving overall crop quality and management efficiency.
As chemical fumigants disappear from the toolbox, potato growers face rising pressure from potato cyst and root-lesion nematodes. New strategies now dominate: resistant varieties, mustard-based biofumigation, trap crops like Solanum sisymbriifolium, and longer crop rotations. Success depends on integration rather than single solutions. The industry is shifting from eradication to control — combining genetics, biology, hygiene and data to keep nematodes below economic thresholds.
Potato seed in a Victorian cold storage have tested positive for the potato mop-top virus (PMTV). Imported from Tasmania before new regulations, the seeds are confirmed unplanted, thus maintaining Victoria’s PMTV-free status. Agriculture Victoria is working with the grower to manage any risks, potentially including destruction of the seeds. The issue was reported on 17 September and investigations are ongoing.
The 2nd European Wireworm Research Network Workshop is scheduled for 9 October 2025, focusing on innovative solutions for managing wireworm pests impacting European crops. The online event will feature four thematic sessions on biology, control methods, economic assessments, and varietal interactions, encouraging discussion among scientists, agronomists, and policymakers. The workshop aims to foster collaboration and develop integrated pest management strategies to mitigate crop losses caused by wireworms.
A new smartphone-integrated system combining RPA amplification, Cas12a detection, and easy readouts can rapidly identify early blight (Alternaria solani) in potatoes, significantly improving field diagnostics. This approach enhances fungicide application efficiency and cost-effectiveness while supporting disease resistance. Efficient sample collection and precise molecular testing techniques allow agronomists to move diagnostics from labs to the field, enabling timely disease management and reducing unnecessary treatment applications.
Kenya has introduced new potato varieties, Malaika and Glen, to combat potato cyst nematodes (PCN) that threaten yields. Developed through international collaboration, these varieties promise strong resistance to PCN while meeting local agricultural demands. By offering practical advantages for farmers, they could improve productivity and food security. Successful adoption depends on ensuring seed availability and effective management practices. Overall, these innovations could significantly enhance Kenya’s potato sector.
Kenyan scientists, led by KALRO, are developing genetically modified potatoes resistant to late blight, a significant threat to crops and farmers’ livelihoods. They have inserted resistance genes into popular varieties like Shangi, Asante, and Tigoni, showing promising results in trials. Plans for non-exclusive licensing aim to enhance farmer access. With Kenya’s shifting GMO policy, the project is nearing commercialization, potentially reducing fungicide reliance and loss.
Tasmanian scientists are nearing a breakthrough in combatting powdery scab, a significant potato soil disease affecting quality and storage. In an audio segment of Tasmanian Country Hour, reporter Paddy Manning discusses with plant pathologist Calum Wilson about new field trials aimed to reduce this disease. Successful validation could benefit growers by decreasing disease pressure and mop-top virus risks, improving overall potato production.
The Potato mop-top virus (PTMV) in Tasmania is confirmed to be present permanently, with its source likely undiscoverable. To mitigate further spread, 2,000 tonnes of seed potatoes will be destroyed following tests prompted by its detection in July. Although PTMV was found in a minor fraction of tested seed lines, eradication is deemed impossible due to the presence of powdery scab, which can harbor the virus in soil.
Researchers at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada are testing the “Weed Zapper,” a high-voltage device designed for safe and chemical-free weed control. This electric weeding technology, which has gained interest among Canadian farmers due to herbicide resistance, uses electricity to kill weeds as tractors drive through fields. Over two years, the project aims to evaluate its effectiveness, cost benefits, and potential impact on future weed spread in various horticulture crops.
Tasmanian potato growers are preparing for potential trade restrictions after the detection of the potato mop top virus, which has impacted crops for a second time. Found in the north-west and confirmed at a southern research farm, this virus distorts potato flesh but poses no health risk. Biosecurity officials are tracing the connected properties, with discussions about restricting seed potato movements underway, raising concerns within the industry.
AgriScout, an autonomous robot developed by an international research team, efficiently detects Potato Virus Y (PVY) infestations in potato crops. Equipped with advanced imaging technology, it collected over 55,000 high-resolution images and achieved an 85% detection accuracy using a YOLOv11 deep learning model. Deployed in commercial fields in Atlantic Canada, it creates precise infestation maps, enhancing disease management. This technology could significantly improve disease scouting efficiency and accuracy
Scientists from the University of St Andrews and The James Hutton Institute have introduced two new potato varieties, Malaika and Glen, in Kenya to combat potato cyst nematode (PCN) threats. Collaborating with various institutes and local farmers, these varieties have passed trials and been added to Kenya’s National Variety List. They respond to farmers’ needs for low dormancy and fast cooking traits, aiding food security and benefiting the potato value chain worth $500 million annually.
The Tasmanian Government has confirmed the first case of Potato mop-top virus (PMTV) in Australia, detected in the northwest on July 18, 2025. An Incident Management Team has been activated for tracing and containment efforts, as PMTV threatens crop quality and yields but poses no health risks. Minister Gavin Pearce emphasizes immediate action and ongoing communication with farmers while promoting the importance of biosecurity in maintaining Tasmania’s agricultural reputation.
The mop-top virus, a potato disease, has been identified for the first time in Australia, particularly impacting crops in Tasmania. Biosecurity Tasmania responded by forming an incident management team after its detection in July. The virus can be transmitted by soil pathogens and causes deformities in potatoes. Despite its severity, there are no food safety concerns for consumers. Authorities are investigating the virus’s spread and origins.
Late blight disease is increasing in Central and Western Canada, threatening potato and tomato crops. Although new pathogens are emerging, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researchers are developing identification techniques and prevention methods. They emphasize the importance of home gardeners in disease management by planting resistant varieties. Weather patterns are influencing outbreaks, especially in Eastern Canada, necessitating education and coordinated efforts among producers and the gardening community to mitigate risks.
