Phil Nolte, University of Idaho Extension professor and seed potato specialist, knows that potato growers face a lot of tough decisions when it comes time to plant and he predicates any additional advice for growers with this caveat:
"Certified seed, with all the care it receives, is absolutely necessary,"Nolte said.
Nolte, along with Amy Charkowski, University of Wisconsin at Madison seed specialist and director of the Wisconsin Seed Potato Program, and Jonathan Whitworth, research plant pathologist at the USDA Agricultural Research Station in Aberdeen, Idaho, presented on seed potato performance at the 2011 University of Idaho Potato Conference.
All three began their individual presentations by advocating that growers use only certified seed in their operations.
Nolte's presentation focused on how to maintain healthy seed after it's been cut. North American growers generally cut seed tubers to create seed pieces, whereas in Europe and some areas of the United Staes they use whole seed, also called single drop seed, Nolte said.
Related presentation from Phil Nolte at the Potato Expo 2011 (pdf)
