News on Potato Defects and Diseases from Europe

Congress 2019 The timeless potato: A dynamic and innovative food. (Courtesy: Europatat)

May 13, 2019

Europatat Congress 2019 - Main speakers confirmed!

The Europatat 2019 Congress, co-organised by the Norwegian Association of Fruit and Vegetable Wholesalers (NFGF) and Europatat, will take place in Oslo (Norway) from 12 to 14 June 2019. Under the slogan 'The timeless potato: A dynamic and innovative food'

The potato late blight pathogen. (Courtesy: Jens Gronbech Hasen / EuroBlight)

May 07, 2019

Potato Blight Trends in Europe: EuroBlight 2018 Results

EuroBlight is continuously examining the ongoing evolution of the European population of the potato late blight pathogen and now reports on the 2018 results. Approximately 1000 samples were genotyped from 22 countries.

January 08, 2019

La UE dice que Galicia está a punto de erradicar plaga

Un informe de inspección asegura que las medidas adoptadas contra la polilla guatemalteca han dado resultado.

December 18, 2018

Better and stronger potatoes using hybrid breeding

The potato breeding company Solynta in The Netherlands has successfully produced a hybrid breeding program for potatoes which will allow the rapid selection and turnover of favourable traits, traits which could help feed millions of people worldwide.

December 11, 2018

AHDB Potato Specialist Mike Storey to retire

After some 36 years with AHDB and its predecessor organisations, Potato Specialist Mike Storey is going to retire at Christmas. His colleague Adrian Cunnington looks back...

December 01, 2018

UE avala controles de España para erradicar plaga de la papa

Tras visitar las zonas infectadas, la auditoría de la Unión Europea considera "eficaces" las medidas para reducir la presencia de la polilla guatemalteca.

November 13, 2018

Agrico warns: 'Considerably less seed potatoes available for export'

During the annual potato variety show at Agrico the topic of discussion was not limited to unique varieties on display. The impact of the excessive heat and drought this season on the seed potato market was also a hot topic.

November 08, 2018

North-western European Potato Growers: harvest down 20 percent at least

The total potato harvest in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and France in 2018 will be at least 20 percent lower than last year, according to the latest estimates of the North-western European Potato Growers (NEPG).

November 06, 2018

Potato variety presentations in the Netherlands: Agrico highlights natural resistance to Phytophthora

As part of the potato variety presentations in the Netherlands later this week, Agrico highlights its late blight resistant varieties in a Ukraine themed show.

October 18, 2018

Bill Watts joins AHDB as Knowledge Exchange Manager focused on Potatoes

Bill Watts has joined AHDB as Arable Knowledge Exchange Manager (Potatoes) for the West Midlands, South West and Wales.

August 14, 2018

Potato growers propose pan-European approach to resolve contract issues with processors due to extreme weather

The North-Western European Potato Growers (NEPG) conclude that the potato production this year in North-Western Europe will be much lower than average and that quality issues will be a main challenge.

August 08, 2018

Continuing drought and extreme heat a disaster for the potato harvest and processors

The extreme heat and drought is a disaster for the upcoming potato harvest. And for processors too: in Belgium, potato chips manufacturer Roger&Roger (Croky) temporarily halts production of some its flavours to manage the lack of potato supply.

August 03, 2018

UK potato processing companies say serious issues with potato supply 'extremely likely'

The Potato Processing companies in the United Kingdom have released a statement through the Potato Processors’ Association Ltd (PPA), expressing their concern for the impact of current weather conditions on UK potato processing sector.

July 29, 2018

Ireland: Potatoes stop growing in parched earth

David Rodgers, growing potatoes in normally lush and fertile North Co Dublin says the unprecedented conditions over recent weeks – from an exceptionally cold spring to a record-breaking hot summer – have forced his potato plants into “shutting down”.

Forty years of partnership between Belgium and the CIP

June 26, 2018

Forty years of partnership between Belgium and the International Potato Center (CIP)

The Belgian Development Cooperation has been working with the International Potato Centre (CIP) in developing countries since the 1970s. The aim is to support the research and training required to improve the production of potatoes and sweet potatoes, as well as other root vegetables and tubers.

June 21, 2018

AHDB secured emergency crop protection authorisations helping out UK potato farmers

AHDB secured nine emergency authorisations for potato, herb, celery, carrot, parsnip, cherry and plum for UK growers to protect their crops.

April 14, 2018

Potato Blight Trends in Europe: EuroBlight 2017 Results

The EuroBlight project is examining the ongoing evolution of the potato late blight pathogen (Phytophthora infestans). In 2017, almost 1500 samples from 16 countries in Europe were genotyped. The results indicate that new clones continue to spread.

March 28, 2018

New Late Blight Strain in UK requires Fresh Approach to Control

Late Blight control strategies in the United Kingdom will have to change this season if potato growers are to combat the spread of a new aggressive, fungicide-insensitive/ resistant strain of the disease, leading agronomy firm Hutchinsons says.