News on Potato Defects and Diseases from Europe

After some 36 years with AHDB and its predecessor organisations, Potato Specialist Mike Storey is going to retire at Christmas. His colleague Adrian Cunnington looks back...

Tras visitar las zonas infectadas, la auditoría de la Unión Europea considera "eficaces" las medidas para reducir la presencia de la polilla guatemalteca.

During the annual potato variety show at Agrico the topic of discussion was not limited to unique varieties on display. The impact of the excessive heat and drought this season on the seed potato market was also a hot topic.

The total potato harvest in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and France in 2018 will be at least 20 percent lower than last year, according to the latest estimates of the North-western European Potato Growers (NEPG).

As part of the potato variety presentations in the Netherlands later this week, Agrico highlights its late blight resistant varieties in a Ukraine themed show.

Bill Watts has joined AHDB as Arable Knowledge Exchange Manager (Potatoes) for the West Midlands, South West and Wales.

Wageningen University & Research uses computer models to develop sustainable management strategies in the control of potato late blight, caused by Phytophthora infestans.

The North-Western European Potato Growers (NEPG) conclude that the potato production this year in North-Western Europe will be much lower than average and that quality issues will be a main challenge.

The extreme heat and drought is a disaster for the upcoming potato harvest. And for processors too: in Belgium, potato chips manufacturer Roger&Roger (Croky) temporarily halts production of some its flavours to manage the lack of potato supply.

The Potato Processing companies in the United Kingdom have released a statement through the Potato Processors’ Association Ltd (PPA), expressing their concern for the impact of current weather conditions on UK potato processing sector.

David Rodgers, growing potatoes in normally lush and fertile North Co Dublin says the unprecedented conditions over recent weeks – from an exceptionally cold spring to a record-breaking hot summer – have forced his potato plants into “shutting down”.

The Belgian Development Cooperation has been working with the International Potato Centre (CIP) in developing countries since the 1970s. The aim is to support the research and training required to improve the production of potatoes and sweet potatoes, as well as other root vegetables and tubers.

AHDB secured nine emergency authorisations for potato, herb, celery, carrot, parsnip, cherry and plum for UK growers to protect their crops.

Following a case of poisoning caused by a potato dish, the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) is reminding people about the correct handling of potatoes.

The EuroBlight project is examining the ongoing evolution of the potato late blight pathogen (Phytophthora infestans). In 2017, almost 1500 samples from 16 countries in Europe were genotyped. The results indicate that new clones continue to spread.

Late Blight control strategies in the United Kingdom will have to change this season if potato growers are to combat the spread of a new aggressive, fungicide-insensitive/ resistant strain of the disease, leading agronomy firm Hutchinsons says.

By analysing potato production data, information systems specialist Professor Wolfgang Maaß and his team want to help farmers and food companies identify potential benefits and optimize their processes.

Although PCN testing of soil for seed potato cultivation is typically strictly regulated, different procedures are in use for the testing of soil for ware potatoes - and which one is used has huge consequences for the reliability.