This year’s Potatoes in Practice maintains high relevance for growers and the potato industry who will see increased technical content at the event on 8th August, at Balruddery Farm, Invergowrie, near Dundee.
Sponsored by the Potato Council and supported by Potato Review magazine, the event is presented in partnership with the James Hutton Institute, SRUC and Agrii and offers the expected high-standard combination of science, R&D, technology and practical advice. The packed one-day programme takes the form of agronomy and variety trial plots and guided tours, a technical seminar programme, science, research and trade stands, static machinery displays and – for the first time – working machinery demonstrations on site at the beginning and end of the day.
Potato Council’s Head of KT and Communications, Dr Sharon Hall remarks “Potatoes in Practice is an excellent opportunity for growers to see what research is currently being done and how the outcomes can be applied on-farm. It’s a really good event for networking and catching up with industry news and seeing what Potato Council is doing for growers through investment of levy in research and knowledge transfer activity’’.
This year Potato Council-sponsored plots will demonstrate a volunteer control trial showing three different herbicide treatments for control of volunteer potatoes in spring barley, a demonstration of glyphosate drift to re-iterate the issues with desiccant use in cereal crops in proximity to seed potato crops and a demonstration of blackleg R&D work on variable nitrogen rates and blackleg expression.
Further Potato Council-sponsored plots will demonstrate the effect on seed quality from Blackleg susceptibility (scuffing) and tuber (soil)-borne blackleg compared to haulm-transmitted blackleg, linked to the new Potato Councilsponsored blackleg R&D project looking at entry routes of the disease into high-grade seed stocks (PB1), which will also be discussed in the seminar programme.
Dr Daan Kiezebrink, applied potato pathologist at SRUC, who is coordinating the Potato Council plots explains “Open days like Potatoes in Practice really demonstrate the breadth of research and support there is available for the industry. A major component of the event is the research, agronomy and variety trials on display from science and industry across the country”.
PiP has been held at the James Hutton Institute’s Balruddery Farm for several years. Euan Caldwell is farm manager for the institute’s farm sites and has been instrumental in securing the first-time working machinery demos this year. Euan announces “Visitors will be able to see, working live, a two-row machine, a windrower, a self-propelled harvester to follow up after the windrower, plus a front-mounted bed tiller and a stone separator”. Euan adds “PiP has something for everybody, from agronomists to students to researchers and growers. I’d encourage everybody to come along.”
The PiP seminar programme sees Dr Stuart Wale, senior potato researcher at SRUC, examining blackleg, its impact on early-generation seed crops, and the practicalities around haulm destruction. Dr Mark Stalham of Cambridge University Farm (CUF) will look at soil management and improving cultivation practices in potatoes.
Potato Council’s head of seed and export Robert Burns will talk about the importance of protecting our national seed crop, with Alistair Melrose, Managing Director for seed growers A J Allan in Brechin, providing a grower’s perspective on producing seed and the Safe Haven quality assurance scheme.
Robert says “Potatoes in Practice will give growers an excellent chance to find out about the latest government, Potato Council and industry-supported initiatives. In addition to the technical seminars, there will be key seasonal advice from experts in their field on current crop nutrition, pests and disease issues, as well as the latest products and equipment on the trade stand exhibits and machinery displays.
“Come along on 8th August to get the advice and information you need to keep your crops healthy and your businesses profitable, whatever this season may throw at us”.
