News on Research from Europe

Europatat held its annual General Assembly meeting June 12 in Lille (France). Members have elected a new Board to lead the association for the coming year and welcome Francisco Moya as Treasurer.

At PotatoEurope 2025, fifteen top companies will showcase trials on potato cultivation, with 309 exhibitors and 15,000 visitors expected. The event highlights innovation, demos, and global networking across the potato value chain.

Scientists, led by Dr Rob Hancock, Deputy Director of the Hutton’s Advanced Plant Growth Centre, have been working as part of a European consortium to develop tools for the development of multi-stress tolerant potatoes

In celebration of International Day of Potato, DKHV & UNIKA launch a LinkedIn series on May 24, 2025, showcasing the potato’s global impact on food, culture, and innovation—plus a postcard campaign for key decision-makers. #PotatoCosmosCulture

The potato feeds over a billion people but faces disease and limited diversity. Investing in research, breeding, and farmer support is vital to improve resilience and productivity, ensuring it remains a key staple for global food security.

Brussels marked the 2nd International Day of Potato with a conference and exhibition, highlighting the crop's role in food security, sustainability, and innovation. Stakeholders called for supportive EU policies to boost the potato value chain.

Join the James Hutton Institute's webinar on May 30, International Day of Potato, to explore UK potato production challenges and innovations in breeding, sustainability, AI tools, and pest control. Hosted by NPIC and Professor Ingo Hein.

Givaudan launches Myromi™, a handheld aroma device for real-time flavour co-creation. Controlled via smartphone, it boosts feedback, speeds development, and enhances collaboration with consumers through an intuitive digital interface.

El futuro de la innovación en el sector no pasa solamente por el desarrollo de nuevas industrias de procesamiento, sino también por una nueva forma de pensar lo más elemental.

GB Potatoes funds the FAB project for 3 years, boosting UK efforts to monitor and combat potato late blight. Led by James Hutton Institute, FAB provides vital real-time insights on blight strains and resistance, strengthening sector resilience.

PotatoEurope 2025, held Sept 3–4 in Lelystad, will feature the Innovation Award recognizing top potato sector innovations. A diverse expert jury will select winners, with strong global interest and the event nearly sold out.

The 2025 Hutchinsons Potato Trials Results Day at Worth Farms, Lincolnshire, showcased key field trials and research to help tackle major potato industry challenges, including PCN, herbicide safety, wireworm, catch crops, blight, and Alternaria.

Fedepom and Europatat have unveiled the final program and speaker lineup for the Europatat Congress 2025, set for 11–13 June at Hôtel Barrière in Lille, France, under the theme 'Potato leaders of the future: deciding under uncertainty.'

Fera Science’s Enigma I project is advancing to its second phase, focusing on sustainable wireworm control. Agri-food organizations are invited to join as co-funding partners for tailored research and practical solutions.

Emerald Research Ltd (ERL) and a leading potato grower in South West England have won an eighteen-month Innovate UK project to tackle the ever-growing problem of wireworm damage in potatoes.

The Fresh Potato Suppliers Association (FPSA) was established in 2009 to represent the fresh sector of the potato industry bringing together fresh packers and suppliers to retail.

Europatat warmly welcomes Elorn Plants, a specialist of seed potatoes production and sale based in Finistère, in western Brittany (France). The region is known worldwide for the quality of its seed potato production and the earliness of its shipments.

They’re one of the UK’s most loved staples, providing around half of our carbohydrate intake as a nation and supporting over 20,000 farm, transport and manufacturing jobs.