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Potato growers face weather-related challenges
Potato growers are facing many weather-related challenges and recent warm, wet weather has led to a massive increase in the number of Smith Periods this year so far, says Potato Council executive and blight specialist Gary Collins. “There is a huge variation in Cumulative Smith Period events (the national total for all Full Smith Periods for the 652 postal districts) to 19 July over...
25 July 2012 -
What’s on this year at Potatoes in Practice?
This year’s Potatoes in Practice event is set to be bigger and better than ever before, with trials and demonstrations from Potato Council, The James Hutton Institute, SAC, Agrii and many others. Potatoes in Practice, Britain’s largest field-based event dedicated to the potato industry, is free and will take place on August 9th 2012 at Balruddery Farm, near Dundee. The event...
21 June 2012 -
Jay Rayner to speak at East Midlands Potato Day
Restaurant critic Jay Rayner is to speak at the popular East Midlands Potato Day to be held at QV Foods, Holbeach Hurn, on July 5. In addition there will be practical in-field workshops on topics such as herbicides, slugs, PCN, soils and water. The event will be opened by Potato Council chairman Allan Stevenson, who will be at the event all day to speak with growers and members of...
21 June 2012 -
Glyphosate – avoid risks of contamination
"If your neighbours use glyphosate on crops such as wheat, don’t forget to request they take care to prevent contamination of any seed potatoes,” warns head of seed and export Rob Burns. Glyphosate's mode of action is to inhibit an enzyme involved in the synthesis of the aromatic amino acids: tyrosine, tryptophan and phenylalanine. It is absorbed through foliage and translocated to...
21 June 2012 -
Safe Haven, not just in Scotland!
New pests and diseases could infect ware crops and result in severe financial losses, warns Potato Council head of seed and export Robert Burns. The future sustainability of the supply chain is at risk from increasing threats from new organisms that can potentially devastate a crop, such as Epitrix and Zebra Chip. The increase in global marketing and the expansion of the EU has...
21 June 2012