News on Research from Europe

The Dutch company Solynta has developed a potato variety that is resistant to late blight (Phytophthora Infestans). As a result, it could greatly reduce the use of pesticides in agriculture.

The Chinese Government and leading potato company, Xisen Potato Group have committed £3 million to a collaboration with James Hutton Limited (JHL) to breed new varieties and research resistance to pests and diseases, tuber storage and potato processing.

In Scotland, a group of major potato businesses and public sector organisations have sponsored a £242,000 (USD 313,000) research project aimed at reducing the impact of potato disease blackleg on the Scottish seed potato industry.

When Pipers Crisps — one of Britain’s best-known crisp brands — wanted to understand more about the science behind their premium products and processes they turned to food experts at the University of Nottingham.

Construction of Avebe's Innovation Centre at the Zernike Campus has started and this milestone was celebrated by 'planting' a potato time capsule.

Consumers create less waste from frozen vegetables, potato products and berry fruit than from fresh, or alternatives in cans or jars.

Elea GmbH, leading manufacturer of equipment for Pulsed Electric Field treatment (PEF) used the recently concluded Snackex to highlight the opportunities PEF offers to snack manufacturers. Elea also introduce its Elea SmoothCut™ One system.

Scientists have identified a version of a single gene involved in the heat stress response that is more active in potato types that can tolerate high temperature, potentially providing potato breeders a tool to make potato varieties less vulnerable to increased temperature.

In the United Kingdom, farming minster George Eustice (DEFRA) has approved a four-year trial of genetically modified (GM) potatoes at The Sainsbury Laboratory in Norwich.

Despite the fact that the bacteria responsible for zebra chip disease occur in the Mediterranean and cause damage in leek and onions, the risk for transfer to potatoes is low, because of the feeding preferences of the transmitting psyllids in this area.

The organizers of the Europatat 2017 Congress in Antwerp from 15 to 17 June announce the addition of a number of high level speakers to the programme

AHDB Potatoes has announced the appointment of a new chair and the addition of five new members to its board, replacing five members.

This year will see the launch of the newly released FastBack 260E G3 cartridge system and the integrated
Spray Dynamics ‘Slurry On Demand’ Continuous mixing system and WeighBack.

Packaging and Processing Equipment Specialist tna will be using a combination of virtual and augmented reality at this year’s Interpack in Düsseldorf, Germany, to showcase its complete range of packaging and processing solutions.

WatchITgrow is a new geo-information platform developed for the potato sector in Belgium with the purpose to better estimate and increase the potato yield in a sustainable way.

Anyone travelling to PotatoEurope in Emmeloord by car on 13 and 14 September 2017 will have much more convenient access to the event than in previous years.

Under the provocative slogan 'Making the European Potato Trade great again! (it’s gonna be huge, it’s gonna be great, it’s true!)', the Europatat Congress 2017 will focus on two major current issues for the potato sector: plant health and trade.

With seven months still to go, 50 percent of the exhibition space at PotatoEurope 2017 – the trade show dedicated to the entire potato chain – has already been sold. The theme of this year’s edition – ‘Potatoes feed & meet the world’ – is linked to the potato’s huge potential to feed the world’s growing population.