Sixty percent of the potato chips made in the United States come from potatoes grown in Northern Michigan. It all starts at the Sklarczyk Seed Potato Farm, located in Michigan. “The greenhouse operation is something my father started in the early 80’s and my father grew up on the diversified farming operation and he was looking for a way to make a batter[Read More…]
Seed
Injury prone: What dicamba damage does to potatoes, and how to fight it
Plant injury from dicamba has been in the news for the past two years. In the potato world, there are always concerns of potato plants’ unintended exposure to herbicides. “We have been gathering data to determine what effect dicamba has on seed tubers and potato plants,” according to Andy Robinson, extension research potato agronomist with North Dakota State University and[Read More…]
Certified seed: Measure seeks to prevent potato diseases in Michigan
Michigan farmers with more than an acre of seed potatoes would face new requirements under a bill passed by the Michigan Senate and House: to plant only certified seed potatoes. The intent is to reduce the possible spread of diseases that could have a major economic impact on the state’s agricultural industry, supporters say. Michigan ranks ninth among the states in potato[Read More…]
Potato seed treatment said to help growers start strong with insect and disease protection
Rhizoctonia solani is a pathogen that is often present in soil or on seed tubers and can have a major impact on young plants. It causes diseases such as black scurf and stem canker. Wet and cold soils favor disease development, and infection can result in major damage underground. If fungal lesions expand too quickly in relation to plant growth, stolons[Read More…]
Bayer-Monsanto merger ‘could reshape agriculture’
Seed and chemical giants Bayer and Monsanto said Wednesday that they will merge to become one of the world’s biggest agriculture giants, a $66 billion mega-deal that could reshape the future of farming and enhance their influence over the planet’s food supply. Bayer said it will spearhead the largest all-cash buyout in history in hopes of taking over St. Louis-based Monsanto, the[Read More…]
Small is beautiful: Innovative technology delivers ‘highest quality early generation seed potatoes’
Having grown to a team of over 150 people and with established global operations in Canada, China, India, Africa and the Middle East, Technico can provide services to its clients wherever they are located. “Our greenhouse operation in New Brunswick, Canada is run by an all-Canadian team of hardworking, mature women,” says Production Supervisor, Darlene Hogan. “We started our greenhouse[Read More…]
Seeds of Change: True potato seed trialled in Bangladesh
The production of potatoes from “true potato seed” (TPS) is being trialled in Nilphamari, Bangladesh. This method involves allowing potato plants to mature until they produce male and female flowers. With cross-pollination the plants then bear a greenish fruit about the size of a small tomato. The fruit are full of seeds. These “true seeds” can later be planted to[Read More…]
New product to offer ‘greater efficacy against tuber-borne Rhizoctonia’
At its annual potato agronomists’ conference on 25th January, Bayer launched a new potato tuber treatment – Emesto Prime DS – that will be available for British growers to use on this year’s plantings. Introducing the product Bayer’s campaign manager for root crops Edward Hagues described it as the new, improved tuber treatment. “Compared with Monceren DS – the long-standing[Read More…]
Australian potato market opens up in Indonesia after trade discussions
Australian potato growers are winning new access to valuable Indonesian markets after a decade-long campaign opened the potential to export up to 85,000 tonnes of seed potatoes with a market value of some $110 million annually. A new agreement to take certified seed potatoes from South Australia and Victoria in Indonesia was made at recent trade discussions in Melbourne, following 10[Read More…]
New seed potato markets in Africa for the UK
Rwanda and Uganda have been identified as two potential new export destinations for UK seed potatoes. After recent successful trials of GB seed in Kenya, levy body AHDB was invited to visit Rwanda as part of a UK Government trade initiative, during which AHDB’s head of crops trade Rob Burns met with the heads of Rwanda and Uganda’s plant health authorities. “We discussed the[Read More…]
Farmers in Bengal trained to produce their own potato seed
In an effort towards making farmers produce potato seeds on their own and use them for cultivation, the West Bengal Agro Industries Corporation Ltd (WBAICL) is providing training to farmers at Simlapal in Bankura district of Bengal. The move by the state is aimed at stopping import of potato seed from Punjab, which is often of inferior quality. “We have[Read More…]
British seed potatoes impress in Kenyan trials
Four British seed potatoes have yielded well on three Kenyan trials sites, creating potential for a new export market. AHDB and SASA have been working together to open the Kenyan market to British seed since a bilateral agreement was signed by the Scottish and Kenyan governments late in 2016. Of the four varieties involved in the trial, Cara performed best with average[Read More…]
Safe and sound: Arctic seed vault ‘key to future global crops’
A special vault has been built in the Arctic to store thousands of seeds as scientists fear the impact of climate change and prolonged conflicts could have devastating consequences on food crops around the world. The Global Seed Vault has been built inside a mountain, near the town of Longyearbyen on the remote Svalbard Islands. It stores thousands of sample seeds[Read More…]
To go GMO or no: Study examines question of genetic engineering and risk in varietal selection of potatoes
In a scientific study published this month in the American Journal of Agricultural Economics, a research team at Montana State University examines the farm management decision of whether to adopt a new, genetically engineered potato variety, in particular three GMO Innate varieties developed by Simplot and approved for commercial use by the USDA in March 2017. The researchers note that the new[Read More…]
Playing it cool: University of Idaho installs a CoolBot to avoid fallout with nuclear potatoes
“Would you like fries with that?” Yes, of course you would. And chances are that those fries came from the pre-nuclear seed potatoes grown in the University of Idaho’s greenhouses. The University of Idaho’s Nuclear Seed Potato Program is extremely important to Idaho and the Pacific Northwest potato industry. The University of Idaho’s Nuclear Seed Potato Program is made up of[Read More…]
The need to go offshore: Building momentum for Canadian potatoes internationally
As domestic potato consumption slows but production continues to grow, finding lucrative export markets for Canada’s fresh, frozen and seed potatoes is a vital and increasing priority, according to Kirby Sawatsky, Director of Parkland Seed Potatoes, based in Canada’s Alberta province. The vast majority of Canada’s potato exports – approximately 91 per cent of our fresh potato exports and 84[Read More…]
‘Rooted apical cuttings’: Promising technology with potential to boost quality potato seed production
Seed potato farmers in Kenya’s potato growing regions are adopting promising technology with potential to boost quality seed availability. The farmers are using rooted apical cuttings as starter material for seed production as opposed to certified seed. The cuttings technology has been introduced in Kenya by the International Potato Center (CIP) under a programme funded by the United States Agency for[Read More…]
Scottish seed potatoes said to flourish in Kenyan heat
Scottish seed potatoes sent to Kenya have performed strongly on three trial sites, AHDB has revealed. The farm levy organisation has been working with Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) to open the Kenyan market for GB seed potatoes since a bilateral agreement was signed by the Scottish and Kenyan governments in 2016. Well-known British varieties were exported to Kenya and[Read More…]
Germicopa expects big growth in potato seed sales
Florimond Desprez, the general director of potato seed and breeding company Germicopa, expects that the company’s seed sales will grow in the near future to reach 80,000 tonnes by 2020/21, up from 63,000 tonnes last year. Germicopa is established in Bretagne, France and part of the Florimond Desprez Group. According to Florimond Desprez, “Traditionally, Germicopa focused on salad potatoes. Examples of this[Read More…]
Potato growers rejoice as Indonesia extends Australian seed potato access
The Indonesian market beckons for Australian seed potato farmers, after market access to the South East Asian nation was extended today (16 February Indonesian/Australian time). The deal paves the way for suppliers from Victoria and South Australia to commence trade immediately. “This is a fantastic result for farmers in these two states — as major seed potato producers — and builds on[Read More…]
North American potato experts share ideas on the importance of healthy seed
Ideal growing conditions, optimum fertility, pest and disease control – all these things are crucial to ensure a high-yielding, healthy potato crop. But before the seed goes in the ground, it’s crucial growers ensure the seed they’re planting is as healthy as possible. Spud Smart magazine gathered 5 expert opinions on why it’s important potato growers plant the best seed they can[Read More…]
Idaho potato company wants to bring more organic potatoes to market
Everything Potatoes, Inc. is the brain child of Sandy Bragg, president, and husband Jeff Bragg, vice president, whose mission is to offer a healthier potato option as far and wide as possible while still being involved in every stage of development. The organic potato market has been a growing niche market the last few years as people gravitate towards organics for[Read More…]
Canadian bred potato varieties in the spotlight at annual event
Using a combination of traditional crop breeding techniques, as well as new and emerging technologies, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) releases to the marketplace 10 – 15 new potato selections annually. These annual releases have been carefully chosen from a starting population that may number 120,000 new seedlings. On February 14, these selections will be presented to the Canadian potato[Read More…]
HZPC to venture into the export of true potato seed?
According to a news report published yesterday on the Dutch agriculture website Agf.nl, potato seed breeder and supplier of seed and ware potatoes, HZPC, intends to export true potato seed (TPS) in the near future. The company, based in the Netherlands with subsidiaries in several other countries, reportedly see opportunities for the export of true potato seed to countries in[Read More…]
UK: Seed potato suppliers to retail market see 10-15% sales increase
Taylor’s Bulbs says seed potato sales are 10-15% up following the decision by Westland/Unwins and Thompson & Morgan to pull out of the 2018 garden centre seed potato supply market. Taylor’s director Adam Taylor says seed potato sales have started already. JBA Seed Potatoes completed the outright purchase of the Westlands/Unwins seed potato business as of 8 August 2017. JBA’s Iain Barbour said:[Read More…]
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