News on Potato Varieties and Seed

August 12, 2017

Scottish Potato Industry unites to fund major Blackleg Research project

In Scotland, a group of major potato businesses and public sector organisations have sponsored a £242,000 (USD 313,000) research project aimed at reducing the impact of potato disease blackleg on the Scottish seed potato industry.

August 10, 2017

Potato research in Eritrea results in suitable disease resistant variety

Potato Research in Eritrea has come up with a suitable disease resistant variety. The farmers selected to test the new variety, called for distribution to all farmers.

August 09, 2017

Liberan variedad de papa en Costa Rica

La nueva variedad es resistente a enfermedades y altas temperaturas y posee alto contenido de vitamina C.

Opening of Punjab’s Centre of Excellence for Potato delayed

August 07, 2017

Start-up of Punjab’s Centre of Excellence for Potato delayed

The Potato Centre of Excellence, Punjab’s only centre of its kind being set up at Dhogri village in Jalandhar, has not been completed yet, though the deadline for the project was 2015.

August 07, 2017

Vertically integrated seed potato supplier Agronico expands storage capacity

After 6 months building (and over 8 years in planning) Agronico has opened its new seed potato storage in Spreyton, Tasmania.

August 07, 2017

Parkland Potato Varieties will be hosting its annual open day.

Parkland Potato Varieties will be hosting is annual open day at the Crop Diversification Centre South in Brooks, Alberta on August 18th from 10 am to 2 pm.

August 05, 2017

New Wisconsin State laws force potato growers to apply best practices

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker signed two new measures involving the potato industry last Wednesday. One law makes use of certified seed potatoes mandatory, the other enforces a faster response to the presence of late blight

Innate® Second Generation Potato Receives Approval in Canada

August 03, 2017

Second Generation Innate® Potatoes Receive Approval in Canada

Health Canada and Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) have completed the food, feed, and environmental safety assessments of the J.R. Simplot Company’s second generation of Innate® potatoes. The authorizations enable the potatoes to be imported, planted, and sold in Canada.

August 02, 2017

España: Con variedades de papa peruanas piensan satisfacer nuevas demandas del mercado

En colaboración con la empresa holandesa de semillas HZPC, Patatas Meléndez está trabajando con nuevas variedades de papa (o patata) procedentes de Perú, estudiando la posibilidad de que sean una alternativa a las que tradicionalmente se emplean en la Comunidad Autónoma de Castilla y León.

Fiji potato farmers plant locally grown seed for the first time.

July 24, 2017

This season Fiji potato farmers will plant locally grown seed for the first time

In Fiji, the Ministry of Agriculture is working closely with farmers around the country who are interested in potato farming. This year will be the first year farmers will be planting the locally obtained seeds.

July 23, 2017

Argentina: Más de 5 mil personas asistieron a la Fiesta de la Papa Andina en Salta

La fuerza del sueño del Padre Chifri de sacar de la indiferencia a los vecinos de los cerros se hizo sentir ayer, cuando miles de personas se congregaron para disfrutar de la séptima edición de la fiesta que destaca a los productores de la Puna salteña.

July 20, 2017

La papa holandesa entra al mercado argentino

Después de años de negociaciones, recientemente se ha abierto la frontera de Argentina a los mini tubérculos de los Países Bajos.

This Dewulf potato harvester harvests Puikula near the Arctic Circle

July 12, 2017

This Dewulf potato harvester digs up Puikula near the Arctic Circle

A 22-year-old Dewulf R3000S 2-row, self-propelled potato harvester, harvests recently in the Finnish Lapland. The machine harvests 70 km south of the Arctic Circle and is the most northern Dewulf harvester in the world.

July 06, 2017

Simplot wants to sell food products from GM Potatoes in Australia and New Zealand

JR Simplot has applied at FSANZ for approval to export genetically modified potato products into Australia and New Zealand. Unclear is what type of products this is about, but unprocessed potatoes can not be imported.

Brexit may pose challenges for Scottish Seed Potato Exporters

July 03, 2017

Brexit may present challenges to Scottish Seed Potato Exporters

Seed potato growers for the United Kingdom who have been confident that crucial trade with Egypt and other non-EU markets would not be disrupted by Brexit may be in for a shock.

June 27, 2017

New Russet varieties - Castle Russet and Echo Russet will help US potato industry meet more stringent regulation

Two recently released new Russet varieties - Castle Russet and Echo Russet - should help the potato industry in the Pacific Northwest cope with more stringent regulations on soil fumigants

June 22, 2017

Presentan guía para selección participativa de variedades de papa con perspectiva de género

Profesionales y técnicos interesados en metodologías y procesos de selección participativa de variedades de papa cuentan desde el 22 de junio con una nueva guía que les permitirá complementar los procedimientos de evaluación que se requieren antes de poner a disposición del mercado semilla de la variedad seleccionada.

June 22, 2017

Making a potato variety heat tolerant could be as simple as switching a single gene

Scientists have identified a version of a single gene involved in the heat stress response that is more active in potato types that can tolerate high temperature, potentially providing potato breeders a tool to make potato varieties less vulnerable to increased temperature.