News on Potato Defects and Diseases from Oceania

Potatoes New Zealand Inc. has won funding from the Ministry of Primary Industries for a major research project aimed at improving crop yield, more specifically, the impact of crop rotations on soil borne diseases and soil quality.

During a quarantine survey on Norfolk Island, a small island between New Zealand and Australia, both the tomato-potato psyllid (Bactericera cockerelli) as well as the zebra chip causing bacterium Ca. Liberibacter solanacearum (Lso) have been detected.

New Zealand Potato production in 2013, at 525,000 metric tons, was marginally (5%) ahead of 2012 production. t is likely planted areas in 2014 will be similar to 2013, with production in the range of 500,000 to 550,000MT.

Crop management and protection practices that help prevent soil-borne diseases in potato crops will be the key focus of a special potato research and development (R&D) workshop to be held in Berrigan, NSW, Australia

Predicta Pt, the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) soil testing service for the potato industry, has received the John Deere Productivity Partner Award at the 2014 AUSVEG Awards for Excellence in June.

Australia’s industry association of vegetable and potato growers, AUSVEG, has welcomed the announcement by the Federal Minister for Agriculture that the Federal Government will review the current process by which biosecurity threats are assessed.

The West Australian virologist Brenda Coutts has been named the 2014 AUSVEG Researcher of the Year.

Potato growers attending today’s potato research and development (R&D) workshop in the Lockyer Valley in south east Queensland will hear about exotic and endemic biosecurity risks facing their businesses, and the practical steps they can take to protect themselves.

Claims New Zealand potatoes do not pose a “substantive risk” to the Australian industry have been slammed as irresponsible and reckless by AUSVEG.

New research has been funded through the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, to help the potato industry reduce issues caused by an insect intruder – the tomato-potato psyllid.

Victorian potato growers will face fewer quarantine restrictions when selling their potatoes interstate.

A multi-year research project, undertaken for the Australian potato industry, will come to fruition this month, with the launch of the project’s cutting-edge DNA soil testing service, which will help the industry to curb the impact of soil-borne diseases.

A simple mesh cover could be the answer to halting New Zealand's most devastating tomato and potato pests, the tomato potato psyllid.

Las mariquitas podrían ser la clave para la salvación de un insecto transmisor de una bacteria para la industria de la papa de Nueva Zelanda.

Research conducted by the Bio-Protection Research Centre at Lincoln University, using the southern ladybird as a biological control agent, has shown the predator to be voracious and effective at reducing tomato-potato psyllid (TPP) numbers.

Cutting edge DNA testing technology, novel approaches to pest and disease management, and exciting new plant nutrition applications – these are amongst the latest Research and Development (R&D) activities that will be presented at the Field Day on ...

Leading industry researchers will team-up with local Victorian agronomists at a Field Day event next month, to help raise awareness amongst potato growers and processors about key research and development (R&D) activities currently being undertaken...

Members of the Australian potato industry have shown strong support for the AUSVEG Potato Industry Extension Program over its first 12 months, with research and development (R&D) workshops held as part of the program proving a hit with both potato ...