News

With less than a week to go until Potatoes in Practice, excitement is building — and the James Hutton Scientific Services field plots are well worth a visit. This year, they feature a diverse array of material from the Commonwealth Potato Collection (CPC), alongside cultivars with different sources of resistance to blight and to White Potato Cyst Nematode (PCN).

Over the last two potato growing seasons late blight management has been under severe pressure across much of Europe. The cause? A combination of very wet weather and clones of Phytophthora infestans, the potato blight pathogen, that have evolved resistance to two key fungicide active ingredients. 

The plots at Potatoes in Practice serve a wide range of purposes, from showcasing the latest potato varieties to industry representatives to demonstrating innovative products and technologies. The SAC Consulting/SRUC team, uses our dedicated plot not just for display, but as a hands-on training and diagnostic hub.

As well as trade exhibits, demonstrations and cutting-edge research, there will be a comprehensive programme of seminars covering the latest developments.  The themes this year are modern breeding methods, sustainability, free living nematodes (FLN) and an update on pests and disease.

We know that potato growers face many challenges, but the threats from pests and diseases loom particularly large. Earlier and more abundant flights of aphids, susceptible potato varieties, loss of plant protection products to regulation and pest resistance have all combined to make potato growers’ jobs ever more taxing.