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SUMMER 2015 PublicationsMailAgreement40030841 SPUDSMART.COM Controlling Silver Scurf Battling Wireworm POST-THIMET 4R Nutrient Stewardship CROP OUTLOOK FROM COAST TO COAST Breakthroughs in GENETIC RESEARCH WITH RYAN ALBRIGHT CRAFTING A GREAT BRAND The well-timed chain drive system on the 973 Harvester enable harvesting speeds of up to 3.5 mph 5.6 kph without sacrificing product handling. Double Ls patented ReturnFlow technology has increased harvesting efficiency by up to 20 percent simply by limiting stops between truck transitions. Double Ls harvesters perform at their peak when harvesting more than four rows of potatoes at once minimizing bruise with increased product flow. Doubleinfodoublelglobal.com 1SUMMER 2015 SPUDSMART.COM CONTENTS SUMMER 2015 Ryan Albright of Covered Bridge Potato Chip Company. Turn to page 4 to learn more about the New Brunswick chip makers innovative marketing efforts. ON THE COVER 02 FROM OUR DESK TATER TOURISM 34 TUBER TALK 4R NUTRIENT STEWARDSHIP 40 EYE ON THE NATION 48 MARKET NEWS 50 WORLD REVIEW 51 EVENTS CALENDAR 52 INDUSTRY NEWS DEPARTMENTS 28 FROM CHUNO TO VODKA Potato processing through the ages. 30 ROUNDTABLE Best practices for post-harvest field care. 36 CPC RECAP Highlights from March meeting of Canadian Potato Council. 56 GROWER SPOTLIGHT P.E.I.s Hilltop Produce. 04 CRAFTING A GREAT BRAND New Brunswicks Covered Bridge Potato Chip Company. 08 PRODUCTION PROJECTIONS Crop outlook from coast to coast. 12 WHATS AFTER THIMET Spotlight on Capture as viable alternative for wireworm control. 18 LATE BLIGHT BREAKTHROUGH Major genetic discovery holds huge potential for global potato industry. 22 CONTROLLING SILVER SCURF Tips for growers battling this common fungal disease. 26 IF PLANTS COULD TALK Research into gene expression as way to assess nutrient needs of crops. SpudSmart SpudSmartMag spudsmart.com PHOTO COVERED BRIDGE POTATO CHIP COMPANY. FEATURES FROMOURDESK Mark Halsall SPUDSMART.COM SUMMER 20152 Tater Tourism POTATOES AND TOURISM. Two words that most people wouldnt find particularly synonymous. Ryan Albright is one of the exceptions. The New Brunswick potato grower is a co-founder of the Covered Bridge Potato Chip Company which is featured in our lead story on page 4 of this issue of Spud Smart. Albrights company makes old-fashioned potato chips at its plant in Hartland N.B. which is home to worlds longest covered bridge. About 100000 visitors come to Hartland each summer to see the bridge. Tying the companys name and products to a famous landmark has not only resulted in a strong brand for Albrights business. The Covered Bridge Potato Chip Company has successfully tapped into Hartlands robust tourism trade to become a thriving attraction itself. Albright says about 200 tour buses stop by Covered Bridge Potato Chip Company each year. Visitors can tour the plant to see how chips are made and are offered hot bags of chips fresh off the production line with their choice of 35 different seasonings. Albrights innovative marketing and agritourism efforts caught the attention of Rick Mercer the CBC television personality who featured the Covered Bridge Potato Chip Company in a segment on The Rick Mercer Report earlier this year. Situated in New Brunswicks major potato grow- ing region the Saint John River Valley the folks in Hartland are proud of their potato heritage. The town is one of a number of Canadian communities that host annual festivals celebrating the potato which contribute to agritourism in their areas. Another New Brunswick event is held further up the Saint John River Valley where the annual Grand Falls Potato Festival is still going strong after 50 years according to organizers. Head due east across New Brunswick and the Northumberland Strait and youll find the Prince Edward Island Potato Blossom Festival held annually in OLeary. Theres also a potato festival in Notre-Dame- de-la-Paix Que. and a couple more in Ontario the Alliston Potato Festival and the aptly named Spudsbury Potato Festival in Sudbury Ont. Then theres the Portage Potato Festival held annually in the Manitoba community of Portage la Prairie. Youll even find a potato festival in British Columbia a one-day event staged at the Huble Homestead Historic Site near Prince George. In addition to festivals there are some prominent potato museums in Canada that cater to everyone from curiosity-seekers to serious spud aficionados. Potato World is a popular tourist spot in Florenceville-Bristol N.B. offering visitors an assortment of hands-on displays educational videos views of antique farm machinery and strolls through a potato variety garden. The Canadian Potato Museum in OLeary P.E.I. bills itself as a celebration of all things potato. In addition to the largest collection of farm implements and machinery used to grow potatoes in the world the museum features heritage buildings and a potato-themed cafeteria where the offerings include potato fudge. Visitors can also get their picture taken with the worlds largest spud sculpture right outside the museums front doors. The Canadian Potato Museums important contribution to Prince Edward Islands tourism industry was recognized when it received the 2015 Premiers Award for Tourism at a P.E.I. tourism industry awards gala this past March. In handing out the award Premier Wade MacLauchlan applauded the museum for having its best season ever with more than 10000 visits in 2014. It is an excellent example of what can be accomplished with a strong product wise investments and a staff and board dedicated to creating a memorable experience for visitors he said. As theyre proving in OLeary P.E.I. and Canadas other spud hubs potatoes and tourism arent such strange bedfellows after all. SUMMER 2015 - Vol. 12 No. 3 The magazine of the Canadian potato industry. PUBLISHED BY 6327435 Canada Ltd. 403-313 Pacific Ave. Winnipeg MB R3A 0M2 Phone 204-453-1965 Fax 204-475-5247 Email issuesissuesink.com issuesink.com PUBLISHER Shawn Brook sbrookissuesink.com EDITOR Mark Halsall mhalsallissuesink.com EDITORIAL Julie Deering Lindsay Hoffman Shannon Schindle Marc Zienkiewicz MARKETING Craig Armstrong carmstrongissuesink.com Brenda Ezinicki bezinickiissuesink.com Sam Mostafa smostafaissuesink.com Hiten Shah hshahissuesink.com CREATIVE Theresa Kurjewicz Lesley Nakonechny DIGITAL Kyle Dratowany Jill Hollosi Caleb MacDonald Lynne Roy CIRCULATION Dean French dfrenchissuesink.com CONTRIBUTORS Kari Belanger Melanie Epp Lukie Pieterse Jim Timlick EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Khalil Al-Mughrabi Benoit Bizimungu Robert C. Bob Hamilton Jason Kehler Keith Kuhl Bill Moons Rick D. Peters Janet Porchak Tracy Shinners-Carnelley Bert Tupling Peter VanderZaag Hubert Zandstra SUBSCRIPTIONS Spud Smart is published four times a year. To subscribe please email subscribeissuesink.com. Canadian subscription rate is 45.00year plus GST. International subscription rate is CDN95.00year. PRINTED IN CANADA Please recycle where facilities exist. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. Spud Smart makes no expressed or implied warranties of mechantability or fitness for a particular purpose or otherwise concerning the use of any product and assumes no liability for any injury or damage direct or consequential incurred from the use of such products or services therein. Federal provincial and municipal laws and regulations supersede the information contained within. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40030841. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Issues Ink 403-313 Pacific Ave. Winnipeg MB R3A 0M2 PRIVACY CODE To view our privacy policy visit spudsmart.com. SPUDSMART.COM SPUDSMART SPUDSMARTMAG 3SUMMER 2015 SPUDSMART.COM Meridian Archwall Storage Groundbreaking Storage Solutions Not all buildings are created equal Watch our videos online www.meridianmfg.comvideos Find your nearest dealer at meridianmfg.comdealerlocator 2015 Meridian Manufacturing Inc. Registered Trademarks used under License. meridianmfg.com Revolutionary Methods Anchored to the foundation using a die-formed footing channel Meridians Archwall system is the most practical method available on the market today. It makes future expansion simple and allows for the use of larger wall and roof panels while still maintaining a watertight seam for maintenance-free performance. More Control Ventilation is the most important factor for maintaining the correct temperature relative humidity and air quality in storage. Our Archwall storage is insulated and sealed allowing you to maintain the environment needed for long-term product storage. Long Lasting Perspectra Series prepainted roof panels and prepainted wall panels come with a 40 year warranty. To learn more email archwallmeridianmfg.com SPUDSMART.COM SUMMER 20154 Crafting A Great Brand New Brunswicks Covered Bridge Potato Chip Company is using its keen marketing prowess to promote its products and its getting noticed in the national media. BY MARC ZIENKIEWICZ THE CANADIAN potato chip industry is a big business with Research and Markets pegging its value at an impressive 1.6 billion by the close of 2016. Its also highly competitive with a plethora of well-known brands crowding stores and established players dominating shelf space capturing the attention of consumers certainly isnt easy. Ryan Albright knew he had his work cut out for him when he co-founded the Covered Bridge Potato Chip Company almost 10 years ago. Based in Hartland N.B. the family-run start-up had some major industry players to differentiate itself from including industry behemoth Old Dutch which also operates a potato chip factory in Hartland. The question was how to carve a niche for itself. Theres no guarantee. You dont know what consumer response will be. We did tests in a deep fryer at home slicing the potatoes by hand Albright says. You put everything into it as you go. Covered Bridge Potato Chip Company makes old-fashioned kettle-cooked chips and employs around 95 people at its processing plant. It gets its name from Hartlands most popular tourist attraction the longest covered bridge in the world thats 291 metres in length. It brings thousands of tourists to the small community of 1000 people each year. The covered bridge concept has turned into a successful marketing symbol for the company allowing it to set itself apart from other brands of potato chips on the shelf and recently attracting the attention of Rick Mercer one of Canadas best- known television personalities. FAMILY AFFAIR The familys history with potatoes goes back a long way. Albright Farms is a family-owned fourth generation company that started in the early The Covered Bridge Potato Chip Company and Albright Farms are family-run operations. Pictured from left are Wayne and Vickie Albright parents of Ryan and Matt Ryan Albright and his girlfriend Mallory McKeil with pet dog Copper and Matt and Sophie Albright and their kids Anders and Elsa. PHOTO COVERED BRIDGE POTATO CHIP COMPANY. 5SUMMER 2015 SPUDSMART.COM 1920s when the family farmed potatoes. Ryan and his brother Matthew now own the family farming business and theyre also partners in Covered Bridge Potato Chips. The potato chip company got its start when Ryan Albright now company president and CEO at only 34 years old formed a brokerage company in 2004 and found himself selling potatoes to others who went and turned them into potato chips. He wanted to do more than just sell potatoes to other chipmakers though and in 2006 Albright formed the Covered Bridge Potato Chip Company. The first bag of Covered Bridge chips rolled off the line in January 2009. The vision behind the company was to make tasty kettle-cooked potato chips and create a unique brand that would capture consumer interest. Tying this concept with the Hartlands historic covered bridge seemed like a no-brainer. We realized there was a real opportunity with the covered bridge and all the tourists who come to see it every year Albright says. Around 100000 people and scores of tour buses come in the summer to see the bridge. That made a good starting point Albright thought. We knew we could try and capture that market to help in the branding and it worked he says noting that about 200 tour buses stop by the Covered Bridge chip factory each year. The bridge means more to the company than just a namesake though. Tourists are welcome to take a self- guided tour of the facility no appointment necessary. Theyre provided with interesting facts about potatoes potato chips and agriculture in New Brunswick while getting to see how the chips are made. At the end of the tour visitors receive a hot bag of chips fresh off the line and get their choice of 35 different flavour seasonings to sprinkle on their chips something thats hugely popular with tourists according to Alison Aiton travel media representative for Tourism New Brunswick. People seem to really like that part she says. Among the number of tourists who come every year is a large contingent of visitors from Asia which inspired one of the companys most popular and sought-after potato chip products lobster- flavoured chips which are sold only during lobster season from May to September. Fish and lobster flavour is a cultural mainstay in Asia and when visitors from Asia come through the Maritimes they expect lobster. Theyre always buying lobster key chains and things like that Albright says. Originally the lobster chips were put into a plain silver bag and sold in the companys gift shop. The flavour soon caught on. We started selling them to other places in New Brunswick then we developed an actual bag for it. Now we sell it across Canada. Its been a big hit Albright says. The companys decision to use russet potatoes also adds to the products uniqueness he adds since potato chips are traditionally made with white potatoes. When you eat any fast food chains french fries theyre made from russets. Its a whole different flavour profile he says but notes using russets requires the company to communicate with their customers and let them know why Covered Bridge potato chips are darker than other brands. We have to educate the public that the chips arent burned. Theyre darker in colour because of the higher sugar content in the potatoes Albright says. Covered Bridge chips are all natural with no artificial colours or preservatives and no trans fat or cholesterol. The chips are also billed as gluten- free to capture the emerging market for gluten-free alternatives. Potato chip seasonings often contain gluten Albright explains but the seasonings used on Covered Bridge chips are carefully made so as to contain zero gluten. We were the second certified gluten-free chip in North America when we started he says adding that the chip factory is also kosher certified. Covered Bridge Potato Chip Company also markets sweet potato chips. Were the only company in Canada that makes sweet potato chips and the third company in North America to make them. Theyre tricky to make and thats why a lot of companies dont bother with them Albright says. It took us a long time to learn how to cook them right. MAKING A MARK Craig Melanson Hartlands mayor says Covered Bridge Chips has helped keep Hartland on the map as a Canadian potato chip mecca. The community is really proud of the work theyve done in getting the plant up and running. They started with an idea and its turned out to be a great tourist attraction as well as a thriving industry for the area he says. Hartland is celebrating its 100th birthday in two years and our history of the potato goes back a long long way when our forefathers were marketing seed potatoes down in South America at the turn of the 20th century. Theres a good history there. The people running the Covered Bridge plant their history goes back that far as well from marketing to growing to being a part of the potato chip supply chain to making their own potato chips now. Its a great success story. That success is what led to the companys appearance earlier this year on The Rick Mercer Report on CBC television. Albright and company staff appeared on camera with Mercer who took a Hartland New Brunswicks iconic covered bridge the longest in the world. PHOTO GOVERNMENT OF NEW BRUNSWICK. RYAN ALBRIGHT We realized there was a real opportunity with the covered bridge and all the tourists who come to see it every year. We knew we could try and capture that market to help in the branding and it worked. SPUDSMART.COM SUMMER 20156 tour of the plant tasted some freshly-made chips mingled with staff and cracked wise about trying to fit a large sack of Covered Bridge potato chips into the airport baggage gauge on the way home. Weve been on news segments but never on a major TV show Albright says. Im used to being in front of a camera. Ricks a great guy on and off the camera. Hes very funny. In fact I was coming home from Toronto the other night and someone on For more information on Covered Bridge Potato Chip Companys innovative marketing efforts visit coveredbridgechips.com. WHERE ON THE WEB includes mainstays like salt and vinegar and barbecue but also features more unique flavours like Montreal steak spice and thick-cut sea salt. The company has an active social media presence is developing a new website and has its own in- house marketing and design department. We own our own route trucks in Atlantic Canada and we have an iPhone app designed specifically for us all invoicing is done on that and uploaded to our system here. That was a two- year project Albright says. The business just bought another warehouse and more office space and put in a 1800 square-foot company gym that is free for employees to use. We try to make working here a lifestyle and do what we can for our employees. Were in growth mode and trying to push the company forward into the future and focus on our brand and distribution Albright says. the plane had actually been at the airport that day when Rick was trying to take the sack of chips onto the plane as carry-on luggage. With its product becoming more popular Covered Bridge Chips is expanding its line-up and facilities to keep up with demand and also enable the company to offer even more flavours. It recently launched sour cream and onion- flavoured chips complementing its line-up that Cover Bridge chips getting processed on the line. PHOTO COVERED BRIDGE POTATO CHIP COMPANY. Please visit greentronics.comsavings or contact us for details at 519-669-4698 If you cant measure it you cant manage it. RiteYield - Yield Monitor for Vegetable Harvesters Collect and display yield data Quick calibration Tilt compensation option Adaptable Durable In-Line Conveyor Scale option Designed to work on all harvesters Easy to install and operate great yield maps- Jim Wilson Soil Essentials Angus UK. Heartland Farms Hancock WI. ROCKYMTN.COMROCKYMTN.COM WERE THERE WHEN YOU NEED US MOST. Rocky Mountain Equipment has over 40 locations across the Canadian prairies to serve you. With the best people products and services you can depend on us to get what you need. Visit us at one of our CASE IH Dealerships or online at rockymtn.com. DEPENDABLE IS WHAT WE DO. SPUDSMART.COM SUMMER 20158 Production Projections Statistic Canadas potato acreage estimates are similar to last year but a strong start in most provinces has growers feeling optimistic. BY JIM TIMLICK FAVOURABLE CONDITIONS in most growing regions this spring a dip in the value of the Canadian dollar and some increases in processing contracts have potato producers across the country feeling optimistic about the 2015 season. Statistic Canadas production estimates for 2015 released on July 17 show the total planted acreage in Canada as 349005 acres. Overall this represents an increase of 1465 acres from 2014 a 0.4 per cent rise. Contributing to the slight increase is a bump up in some processing contracts especially in Manitoba where the planted potato acreage is up 4000 acres from last year. The fact that processing companies and french fry producers have given additional volume to some provinces is largely due to where the Canadian dollar is today compared to a year ago says Kevin MacIsaac general manager of United Potato Growers of Canada. Its more profitable running those plants harder in Canada than it is for those same companies to run them in the U.S. MacIsaac told Spud Smart in June. It the Canadian dollar has a big effect. Companies have the ability to shift the processing of raw product back and forth and they certainly look and see which factories are the most efficient and profitable for them to run. MacIsaac said its too early to tell what impact the lower Canadian dollar will have on shipments to the U.S. but added there is potential for export growth. Canadian exports to the U.S. tend to depend on how much the Americans ship to other countries especially in the Asian market. The flow of U.S. potatoes to Asia was slowed last year due to the West Coast port strike but could increase this year now that the issue has been resolved MacIsaac said. MacIsaac noted its difficult at this time to pinpoint prices for this season. He added that as of mid-June prices in Western Canada were right about where they should be while prices Potatoes being planted at Zeimak Farms just outside Taber Alta. in early May. PHOTO JAY ANDERSON PGA. 9SUMMER 2015 SPUDSMART.COM in Eastern Canada were well below where they should be because of sizable inventories in the East and the U.S. Still MacIsaac is optimistic that prices will hold stable and might even increase as those surpluses are reduced and new crops become available. A similar glut in Europe and reductions in the number of acres planted there could also bode well for Canadian growers because Canada competes with those countries and we just had too much product in those markets a year ago he said. Eastern Canada especially the Atlantic region suffered through one of the worst winters in recent memory which significantly delayed planting in several provinces this spring. MacIsaac said that could actually turn out to be a positive for growers. A big part of the country does not have an early crop coming on he said. That will be good and will allow us to clean up our existing old crop whereas if it was the opposite it would be a problem because wed have early potatoes coming on before the old ones were done marketing. It extends the market for existing product and thats good for us. NEW BRUNSWICK Potato acreages in New Brunswick are down slightly by 265 acres to a total of 47885 acres. About 60 per cent of those potatoes will be destined for processing with the rest split almost evenly between seed and fresh potatoes. Louis Ouellette market information co-ordinator for Potatoes New Brunswick said in June that contract volumes were expected to remain stable after being cut by nearly 15 per cent last year. New Brunswicks planting season started nearly two weeks later than usual due to last winters heavy snowfall and a touch of frost this spring noted Ouellette. It was just a slow start he said adding that if the weather remained favorable into July we have a good chance of catching up. Ouellette said he expects this years yield to be similar and possibly even slightly higher than last years cut weight-per-acre total of 300 hundredweight. While a few cases of blight might appear he said he doesnt anticipate disease will be a major concern for growers this season. PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND The total planted potato acreage in Prince Edward Island is 89500 acres a 1000-acre or -1.1 per cent drop from last year. According to P.E.I. Potato Board Chair Alex Docherty the slight dip can be attributed mainly to economics and market forces. Docherty said in June that planting in P.E.I. was delayed by at least 10 days this spring due to heavy Potato field in Holmesville N.B. in late June. PHOTO LOUIS OUELLETTE PNB. Early on its looking like the potential of having a decent crop is there both in terms of yield and quality. I believe there is reason for optimism. DAN SAWATZKY PROVINCE 2013 2014 2015 CHANGE 2014-2015 Newfoundland and Labrador 500 na na na Prince Edward Island 89000 90500 89500 89500 Nova Scotia 1900 1725 1624 1624 New Brunswick 48000 48150 47885 47885 Quebec 42255 42996 42749 42749 Ontario 38000 35500 34750 34750 Manitoba 70000 63000 67000 67000 Saskatchewan 7000 6413 6000 6000 Alberta 52483 52984 53459 53459 British Columbia 6200 5890 5700 5700 Total Canada 355338 347539 349005 349005 SOURCE STATISTICS CANADA CANADIAN POTATO ACREAGE ESTIMATES 000 ACRES SPUDSMART.COM SUMMER 201510 snowfall from last winter. The eastern end of the island experienced the most severe delays he added. The biggest trouble is the long-season variety. Youre going to run into a later harvest Docherty said. But Mother Nature can do wonders for us. Last year we thought we were in a bit of a bind and then we dug probably one of the highest quality crops we ever dug. Despite the late start Island growers can expect a typical yield this year Docherty said and it could be a great one if the weather co-operates. There are no major health concerns at this stage and yield quality could be very high depending on weather he added. QUEBEC In Quebec potato acreage was down 247 acres to about 42749 total acres due largely to a reduction in table acreages. Planting in la belle province got off to a much earlier start this year compared to 2014 according to Clement Lalancette director general of le Fdration des producteurs de pommes de terre du Potatoes being planted at Torlang Farms near Bow Island Alta. in late April. PHOTO JAY ANDERSON PGA. A big part of the country does not have an early crop coming on. That will be good and will allow us to clean up our existing old crop. KEVIN MACISAAC Qubec. The fact that planting began seven to 10 days earlier than last year is reason for optimism he told Spud Smart in June. Most of the seeds were in the ground by the second week of June except for the northern area of the province. It looks like a regular start to the season Lalancette said. Lalancette said he expects yields to be similar to last year. He noted the disease outlook for the 2015 crop looks good but added scabbing could be an issue. ONTARIO The potato acreage in Ontario is down 750 acres to 34750 acres this year. Peter VanderZaag a noted potato researcher and owner of Sunrise Potatoes said in June he was encouraged by the start to the 2015 season. Our contracts were all effectively very stable for chip stock which is our main business out here. That was good news. The last few years we had been reduced by about five per cent contract cuts he said. According to VanderZaag planting started on time and was unimpeded in most parts of the province due to favourable conditions. The only concern was dry conditions meant variability in growth rates with some plants just emerging from the ground with others already more than a foot in height. The variation in plant stand is not a good thing for chip stock. They will mature at a later time and if they mature too late then they 11SUMMER 2015 SPUDSMART.COM wont fry well. Its a matter of sugar content in the tuber VanderZaag said. VanderZaag said he is optimistic about yield potential in the province and added it could be a fantastic year if the good weather in June lasted throughout the summer. His only concern was the return of late blight which had a serious impact last year but VanderZaag noted that warm dry weather would help reduce the likelihood of that. MANITOBA Manitoba is the countrys big gainer 2015 with total acreage in the province up 6.3 per cent this year to 67000 acres. Dan Sawatzky manager of the Keystone Potato Producers Association said in June that a surge in demand by processors was behind the increase. According to Sawatzky planting in Manitoba got off to a much better start this spring than it did a year ago when it was delayed by as much as 10 days in some parts of the province due to cool wet conditions. With the exception of central Manitoba planting began right on schedule this year he said. Early on its looking like the potential of having a decent crop is there both in terms of yield and quality. I believe there is reason for optimism Sawatzky said. SASKATCHEWAN In Saskatchewan potato acreage is down 413 acres to 6000 acres. According to MacIsaac there were favourable conditions for planting this spring meaning many Saskatchewan growers were able to start planting much sooner than they had the previous couple of years. ALBERTA Potato acreage in Alberta is up 475 acres to 53459 acres in 2015. Terence Hochstein executive director of the Pota- to Growers of Alberta said in June that dollar values for most processing contracts are up this year. He added Alberta had one of the best planting seasons ever this spring and growers were up to two weeks ahead of where they were at the same time last year. BRITISH COLUMBIA In British Columbia potato acreage is down 190 acres to 5700 acres this year. Decent weather allowed growers to begin planting on time this spring according to MacIsaac. He added that if the weather held B.C. growers could expect a comparable yield in terms of quantity and quality. T3.5 T4.75 Always read and follow label directions. Hot Potatoes is a registered trademark of the Bayer Group. Your Hard Work is a Work of Art. The wait is over Were proud to reveal this years group trip is to two world-class cities Rome and Florence. Let Italy sweep you off your feet with its architecture museums and of course delicious cuisine. Just remember your camera... and all those rewarding Hot Potatoes points that you can redeem for the group trip or cash. Visit Hot-Potatoes.ca or call 1 877-661-6665 for more information. Spudcast is an e-newsletter that takes you behind the headlines and digs into the issues that affect the potato industry including Trade agreements Agronomic insight Shifts in producer practices And more SUBSCRIBE TODAY Ontario Potato Conference Coming Up in March Guelph Ont. is gearing up to host the Ontario Potato Conference on March 5. The speakers list includes Gary Secor from North Dakota State University who will deliver a presentation on late blight management in the eld and in storage. Peter VanderZaag of Sunrise Potato Storage Ltd. in Alliston Ont. will also speak about his experiences with late blight from a potato producers perspective. READ MORE Bravo ZN Fungicide Label Expanded to 30 New Crops Syngenta Canada Inc. has announced that Bravo ZN a fungicide of choice for many potato growers has received registration for use on 30 new crops including pulses fruiting vegetables cucurbit vegetables blueberries onions and ginseng. READ MORE TomTato Comes to the U.S. An Oregon seed company is oering gardeners potatoes and tomatoes together in a plant known as the TomTato a hybrid of cherry tomatoes and potatoes. The Territorial Seed Company in Cottage Grove Ore. is calling it Ketchup n Fries. READ MORE Sign up online at SpudSmart.comspudcast SPUDSMART.COM SUMMER 201512 Whats After Thimet Thimets phaseout puts the spotlight on Capture as a viable alternative for controlling wireworm in potatoes. Researchers industry stakeholders and growers say it delivers. BY KARI BELANGER THERES A GROWING sense of unease among Canadian potato producers as the countdown continues on the deregulation of Thimet 15-G. In the face of increased wireworm pressure across the country especially in Prince Edward Island growers arent the only group troubled by the phasing out of the only insecticide registered in Canada for use on potatoes that kills wireworms. Growers need a product that kills wireworms. They are concerned about it and we are concerned about it as well says Christine Noronha a research scientist and pest control specialist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. However last years eleventh-hour registration of bifenthrin the active ingredient in FMCs Capture insecticide presented an opportunity for P.E.I. growers to test drive this new tool for suppressing wireworm damage of potatoes in large-scale field trials. We evaluated tubers from farmers who used Capture on their farms. It seemed to work. Overall I think farmers were satisfied with it says Noronha. Mark McMillan FMCs business manager for Eastern Canada was also pleased with the results. I believe it performed as expected. It gave similar control of wireworm damage to Thimet the current standard product. There was statistically no difference between the two products performance with respect to wireworm damage suppression he says. The first season is always a concern because its a new product a new application method a new use pattern for growers so its a learning curve. But I think after the first couple of years growers will get used to the product and will use it in the most effective manner. However due to bifenthrins late-spring registration last year growers scrambled to carry out field trials which made scientific evaluation difficult for researchers as some growers did not have time to establish control plots or assess wireworm pressure before applying the insecticide. Despite these challenges researchers were able to gather some scientific data says Noronha. There was one field where it was done properly and it showed results. They had a check they had Thimet and Capture. Capture seemed to work on that field. Although scientific data from large-scale field trials is limited at present Capture has been Field trials of insecticide efficacy carried out in Prince Edward Island in 2014 provided data supporting Captures suppression of wireworm damage. PHOTO CHRISTINE NORONHA AAFC. 13SUMMER 2015 SPUDSMART.COM tested and evaluated in Canada for many years in experimental plots with good results says Noronha. In addition field trials of insecticide efficacy carried out in 2014 also provided data supporting Captures suppression of wireworm damage. For example marketable yield was 26.9 metric tonnes per hectare from Capture-treated plots 28 metric tonnes per hectare from Thimet-treated plots and 23.25 metric tonnes per hectare from untreated check plots see Table 1. All tubers were evaluated based on processing industry standards. Of the seven insecticides evaluated in the field trials by Noronhas team only one other experimental product showed significant wireworm damage suppression in addition to Capture and Thimet. Marketable yield of plots treated with Ethoprop an organophosphate insecticide not currently registered for use in Canada was 26.6 metric tonnes per hectare. Bifenthrin is a pyrethroid insecticide that acts by creating a protective zone around the mother and developing daughter tubers. Bifenthrin remains active in the soil for an extended period of time protecting tubers for the growing season. The insecticide has been used for many years and on millions of acres in the United States and other countries. According to McMillan Captures use this season will expand dramatically from the approximately 5000 acres put down in Prince Edward Island in 2014 he says to include potato-growing areas in Western Canada Ontario and Quebec. DONT DRIBBLE Meanwhile whether or not bifenthrin will be the answer for wireworm damage control in 2016 and beyond is going to depend on producers says Bob Vernon who heads up AAFCs national wireworm research project and is one of Canadas leading wireworm experts. Bifenthrin may in fact work differently in its effectiveness to Thimet in that bifenthrin has a large repellent component to it which might be driving wireworms away from the planted rows of potatoes he says. That opens up a certain amount of variability with bifenthrin use farmers will be in control to a certain extent of the effectiveness of bifenthrin more so than with Thimet. Dribble application of Thimet is well established and consistent from farmer to farmer. Bifenthrin on the other hand should not be dribbled in. It must be sprayed on both sides of the furrow at planting and the variability in bifenthrins application width of furrow amount of water applied coverage area makes all the difference to its effectiveness. The wider the furrow at planting and the better coverage of that larger open furrow with bifenthrin the better chance farmers will have of repelling wireworms from the area where the daughter tubers will ultimately be formed says Vernon. The idea he says is to set up what is essentially a force field that is as wide as possible at the time of planting. Narrower furrows will result in smaller force fields which the daughter tubers can grow outside of and are then susceptible to wireworm damage. Give it a good shot this year. Apply the bifenthrin in a wide furrow with lots of water spray on both sides and use that as your comparison with Thimet. If youre not willing to apply it as prescribed then dont bother because youll lose potatoes says Vernon. STUNNING EVIDENCE Although Capture protects marketable yield with comparable results to Thimet one important question remains does it kill wireworms Laboratory results conducted by Noronha indicate Capture does not kill wireworms but stuns them while they are in contact with the insecticide. Capture paralyzes them and as soon as you take them out of the soil with Capture in it they come back to life and start moving again pretty quickly she says. It does reduce damage for processing it does increase marketable yield so there is suppression of the number of holes and scars per tuber. Its not necessarily controlling the population. TUBER YIELD WITH NO DAMAGE MTHA UNMARKETABLE YIELD MTHA MARKETABLE YIELD MTHA MEAN NUMBER OF BLEMISHES PER TUBER Check Untreated Plot 0 5.5 23.25 18 Capture 1.5 1.9 26.9 8 Thimet 1 1.8 28 7 Experimental Product Ethoprop 3 1 26.6 5.5 Table 1. Insecticide Trials 2014 SOURCE WIREWORM RESEARCH UPDATE BY CHRISTINE NORONHA. FOUR REPLICATES PER INSECTICIDE. ALL TUBERS EVALUATED USING PROCESSING INDUSTRY STANDARDS. RUSSET BURBANK POTATOES AFTER IN-FURROW APPLICATION OF INSECTICIDE. Processing Industry Standards Holes and scars are removed. If the tuber loses more than five per cent of its weight it is considered unmarketable for the processing industry. We evaluated tubers from farmers who used Capture on their farms. It seemed to work. Overall I think farmers were satisfied with it. CHRISTINE NORONHA Tuber exhibiting wireworm damage. PHOTO BOB VERNON AAFC. SPUDSMART.COM SUMMER 201514 As growers get acquainted with bifenthrin as new tool in their wireworm suppression arsenal researchers will continue to test and evaluate new insecticide products in search of one that decreases wireworm populations. In the United States farmers have options that kill wireworms. Were testing them. Its tricky because it depends on the species or sometimes a chemical will work really well in one area but not in another or even the same field. It will work against one species but not the other and sometimes you have mixed populations in your field says Noronha. The chemicals need to be tested here to see if they will work against our species and under our climatic conditions and soil type. Canadian producers also need access to more than one control product for the rotation of insecticide chemicals in order to prevent resistance from developing. BREEDING FOR LESS SUSCEPTIBILITY Although the search for new chemical control products is a strong and vital focus researchers are opening up new avenues of exploration for suppression of wireworm damage. Recently Noronha and her team evaluated wireworm damage on 21 different potato varieties. No chemicals were used so any damage suppression would be directly related to the variety. The results indicated a level of innate suppression at work within certain varieties. For example chipping varieties which averaged eight holes per tuber fared better than Norland Eva AC Chaleur and Shepody which averaged between 23 and 25 holes per tuber. Russet Burbank had roughly 18 holes per tuber while Goldrush and Atlantic averaged 12 holes per tuber in the tests. Theres something going on there says Noronha. The varieties themselves are showing some level of less susceptibility. This information can be given to a breeder and perhaps a variety like Russets can be bred to have traits in it that will help it be less susceptible to wireworm damage. COMPLEMENTARY COMBINATION Wireworm populations continue to grow says Mark McMillan FMCs business manager for Eastern Canada putting the squeeze on potato producers. The pest pressure has been growing every year and its spreading across P.E.I. It has a crippling effect on the growers its a critical situation he says. Enhancing the performance of existing tools that suppress wireworm damage is an important line of enquiry for both researchers and companies developing insecticides. With that goal in mind FMC paired up Capture insecticide with another powerful pest control product Bayer CropSciences neonicotinoid seed piece treatment Titan. FMC field trials indicate increased performance of Capture when the two products are combined says McMillan. It has been shown in at least three years results it enhanced performance. For example wireworm control field trials which Technology Crop International conducted for FMC and Bayer CropScience in Prince Edward Island in 2014 showed that marketable yield in terms of percentage of potato crop was 88 per cent when Capture was applied on its own this increased to 97 per cent when Capture was applied in combination with Titan see Table 2. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada studies also indicate combining Capture with Titan slightly enhances the performance. When you combine the two you get a slightly better result than if you use them separately says Christine Noronha research scientist and pest control specialist with AAFC. Another way FMC is looking to augment Captures performance is by changing up the application method. Its important growers get the best performance out of Capture. Theres another application method used in the United States which is called lay-by treatment says McMillan. Lay-by application involves spraying half the recommended amount of Capture in-furrow at planting and the balance just before hilling. In that way youre getting a increased zone of coverage McMillan says. This season he is testing lay-by application of Capture in Canada and if the results look good McMillan says the company will pursue the addition of the lay-by application method to be added to the label with the Pest Management Regulatory Agency. SOURCE FMC. COMBINED DATA FROM TWO HARVESTS OCT. 16 24 2014 IN CORNWALL P.E.I. IFA IN-FURROW APPLICATION. SPT SEED PIECE TREATMENT. Untreated Thimet IFA 21.5 kgha Capture IFA 1.41 Lha Capture IFA 1.41 Lha Titan SPT 15.6ml100 kg seed MarketableYield Table 2. Wireworm Control Trials 2014 Performed for FMC and Bayer Cropscience by Technology Crop International If youre not willing to apply it as prescribed then dont bother because youll lose potatoes. BOB VERNON Potato News Delivered Directly To Your InboxGet comprehensive insights into the news and issues that affect the Canadian potato industry. Subscribe NOW Audio Interviews Articles Analyzing Key Issues Trade Agreements Agronomic Insights and More Sign Up for Spudcast to Receive Receive the Spudcast e-newsletter bi-weekly straight to your inbox. Subscribe now at spudsmart.com SPUDSMART.COM SUMMER 201516 PUT THE INTEGRATED BACK IN IPM In the short term wireworm damage will likely continue to trouble Canadian potato growers and as far as Noronha is concerned dependence on one control mechanism is not the way to go. Growers are going to have to change the way they do things. They are going to have to manage this insect says Noronha. Were so used to using one technique and it works but we have to put the integrated back into integrated pest management. Not just monitoring and spraying that is not the option with these insects. You really need to integrate all techniques and manage them. In addition to chemical control techniques such as crop rotation with crops such as brown mustard and buckwheat and ploughing down green material in the fall as opposed to the spring when this material will attract and keep wireworms below the soil surface will help keep wireworm populations in check. Were trying to put as many tools as we can in the toolbox. Right now we have chemicals we have rotation and we have ploughno plough but were continuing to look at the biology of this insect to see what else we can do to control it and get the population down says Noronha.Tuber containing mature larvae of the Pacific Coast wireworm Limonius canus. PHOTO WIM VAN HERK AAFC. HUGE INVENTORY AT WHOLESALE PRICING. BACKED BY OUR SATISFACTION GUARANTEE. www.GALLANTSALES.com SPECIALIZING IN POTATO EQUIPMENT CONTACT DAVE AT GALLANT SALES 568 Bernat Rd. Grande Pointe Manitoba 1-204-254-8126 davegallantsales.com Live Bottom boxes Telescopic Pilers Conveyors Evenflow Hoppers Clodhoppers Dirt Eleminators Harvesters Windrowers Seed Cutters Treaters Planters Planter Fillers Polishers Felt Dryers Shaker Sizers Rolling Tables Baggers Sewers....and much more If we dont have it we will locate it for you Harriston 200 Clodhopper with Ellis Adjust Star Table 1 Phase 220 Volts. Models 160 240 Also Available NEWLoganLiveBottomTruckBoxes from16ft-30ft.Shownisa24ftwithAllistonTopper NEWLogan85TelescopicConveyor OtherLengthsSizesAvailable NEWTri-SteelHighCapacityVegetablePolisher 60 Milestone Double Deck Seed Cutter wLots of Options. Other Used Cutters Available Including 48 72. Also a Wide Selection of Used Reconditioned Betterbuilt Seed Cutters Seed TreatersBetterbuilt Seed Cutters Seed Treaters Canadian Dealer for Tri-Steel Mfg Logan Farm Equipment. WE SHIP WE SHIP ANYWHERE NEWTri-SteelFeltDryer AnyLengthAnyWidth CustomBuilttomeetCustomerCapacity Double L 36 X 49ft Reconditioned Telescopic Piler Other Makes Sizes Available SPUDSMART.COM SUMMER 201518 Late Blight Breakthrough A new major genetic discovery could have great potential for the Canadian potato industry. BY MARC ZIENKIEWICZ THERE MAY BE a new weapon in the fight against one of the worlds most devastating potato diseases late blight. Scientists from Wageningen University in the Netherlands and the Sainsbury Laboratory at Norwich Research Park in England say theyve identified a resistant gene that fights against new strains of the oomycete disease. The wild potato gene targets elicitin a pathogen protein that performs an important biological function. This make makes it less likely for the late blight pathogen to evolve and evade resistance. The scientists found that transferring ELR the elicitin resistance gene into cultivated potato made it more resistant to several strains of late blight opening up new possibilities for breeding a broad and durable resistance into various potato varieties increasing food security and reducing the use of fungicides. This is a new line of defense against potato blight says Sophien Kamoun research group leader at the Sainsbury Laboratory. Late blight disease is caused by Phytophthora infestans infamous for triggering the Irish potato famine in the 1800s. This widespread pathogen is still a major threat to crops worldwide and remains one of the biggest headaches for potato producers in Canada. Caused by a fungus-like oomycete microbe late blight attacks both tubers and foliage and is a threat at every stage of production from field to storage. New strains of the late blight pathogen that are resistant to conventional fungicide treatments are emerging and the disease is spreading into parts of Western Canada that were virtually blight-free until only a few years ago. The discovery is good news for Benoit Bizimungu potato breeder and gene resources curator forAgriculture and Agri-Food Canadas Potato Resource Centre in Fredericton N.B. This study represents a significant breakthrough he says. It may help us make even more progress in the fight against late blight. Sophien Kamoun research group leader at the Sainsbury Laboratory at the United Kingdoms Norwich Research Park is part of a team that identified a gene that enhances resistance against late blight disease in potatoes. PHOTO THE SAINSBURY LABORATORY. 19SUMMER 2015 SPUDSMART.COM LENGTHY SEARCH This genetic breakthrough has been a long time coming. The international team of scientists began their gene research by focusing on proteins considered essential to P. infestans. According to Wageningen University researcher Vivianne Vleeshouwers the discovery has its roots in an old theory the so-called Achilles heel hypothesis. A problem of breeding for late blight resistance is that introduced resistance genes get quickly overcome by the late blight pathogen. This means that the pathogen can adapt by changing the protein that is recognized by the resistance gene in the potato. The Achilles heel theory says that if we target a protein that is essential to the pathogen then it is less likely that it will adapt she says. The approach we took is only recently possible thanks to availability of genome sequencing of phytophthora and an experimental approach effectoromics that we designed to be able to screen individual genes in a high- throughput fashion. Scientists found this essential protein in elicitin in the late 1980s initially due to work done by a research group working at the French National Institute for Agricultural Research. Many years of screening wild potatoes for elicitin resulted in its discovery in Solanum microdontum a South American wild relative of cultivated potatoes. ELR encodes a receptor-like protein in S. microdontum. Plants contain many of these cell surface receptors which act as a first line of immune defence much like an array of radar antennas. The receptors are tuned to different features of invading pathogens and in the case of this new type of blight-resistant potato the simultaneous presence of elicitin and the gene that responds to it triggers cell death at the site of infection. Its this powerful plant defense mechanism that restricts the progress of the late blight pathogen. There are two classes of immunity receptors in plants. One class functions inside the plant cell and the other on the surface of the plant cell. In VIVIANNE VLEESHOUWERS I think this new layer of immunity has big potential for control of late blight on a world scale. The sporangia of Phytophthora infestans the pathogen responsible for late blight disease. PHOTO LAWRENCE KAWCHUK AAFC The knowledge were getting at the micro-level through genomics research is having a big impact on how we can combat late blight. BENOIT BIZIMUNGU the past for potato blight weve only known about the receptors that work inside the plant cell. This is the first report of a cell surface type of immune receptor against the blight Kamoun says. For resistance to be deemed durable it needs to hold over time but looking at this research the new gene is really broad-based. It is expected to offer more durable resistance in theory Bizimungu says. The knowledge were getting at the micro-level through genomics research is having a big impact on how we can combat late blight. Canadian research played a role in the discovery. Researchers in England and the Netherlands drew upon the work of Lawrence Kawchuk an Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research scientist based in Alberta. In 2001 he isolated one of the first plant disease receptors for verticillium wilt resistance which helps to prevent early dying in potato plants. NEW LAYER OF IMMUNITY For potato growers the late blight breakthrough is significant because it may help circumvent the pathogens major strength its ability to evolve and create new versions of itself that overcome resistance that have been bred into potatoes. I think this new layer of immunity has big potential for control of late blight on a world scale. The research is still in the experimental phase and is not strong enough yet to apply in practice. We need more research to find out how SPUDSMART.COM SUMMER 201520 we can further enhance it and we need to find more of these genes to combine them together Vleeshouwers says. Kamoun adds that by combining different types of disease resistance we maximize our chances to delay the evolution of new races of Phytophthora infestans. According to Bizimungu the discovery holds a lot of potential for research in Canada as This is a new line of defense against potato blight. SOPHIEN KAMOUN S. microdontum germplasm is accessible to researchers through the U.S. Department of Agriculture gene bank. He notes the elicitin resistance gene could potentially be used to conventionally breed new varieties of potatoes with stronger and long-lasting resistance to the late blight pathogen. Kamoun believes genetic modification represents the most efficient route for commercializing new blight-resistant varieties developed through elicitin resistance technique. At this stage the shortest route to deploy this resistance in the field is through a GM transgenic approach Kamoun says. It all depends on the acceptance of this technology and the willingness to invest in the cost of deregulation. VISIT US ONLINEwww.spudsmart.com DUPONT EXPRESS Protect your crop from early blight and late blight with DuPontTM Tanos fungicide. Early blight can cause significant yield loss which results in lost revenue. Fortunately Tanos offers protectant activity and it is resistant to wash off making it an excellent tool in fighting early blight. Thats not all Tanos rapidly penetrates leaf surfaces to provide both post-infection and locally systemic control of late blight. Dry or wet conditions. Early blight or late blight. Tanos provides the protection you need. Questions For more information please contact your retailer call your local DuPont rep or the DuPontTM FarmCare Support Centre at 1-800-667-3925 or visit tanos.dupont.ca DuPont TM Tanos THIS FUNGICIDE WORKS RAIN OR SHINE JUST LIKE YOU. As with all crop protection products read and follow label instructions carefully. The DuPont Oval Logo DuPontTM The miracles of scienceTM andTanos are trademarks or registered trademarks of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company. E. I. du Pont Canada Company is a licensee. Member of CropLife Canada. Copyright 2015 E. I. du Pont Canada Company. All rights reserved. Trim 7.1382 Trim6.58 From the harvest of your crop to your customers dock... ...we have a complete family of storage products that provide sprout and peep control extending the natural dormancy and field freshness of your potatoes. 3929-160 Ave. Edmonton AB T5Y 3J7 780 218-7810 borr14group.ca www.14group.ca 14 GROUPs DMN products have been a long time component of our storage treatment plans. Spuds treated with 14SIGHT in combination with CIPC result in better sprout control and improved quality out of storage. I apply it in the fall or early spring in storage depending on the natural dormancy of the variety. They hold better and seem firmer with fewer sprouting problems. We also use 14SHIP an in-transit sprout treatment to extend dormancy and aid the appearance of shipped potatoes. -Kent Peterson KemcoWada Farms We have used 14GROUPs DMN products for several years. We apply 14SIGHT shortly after we place our potatoes into storage. It helps control sprouts and extends dormancy safeguarding the potato quality into late summer. 14SEED is applied to our seed potatoes when sprouting gets out of control. It works great. Doug John Field Manager Potandon Produce LLC TWO NEW prOducTs ThaT ENhaNcE the natu- ral dormancy of stored potatoes are now registered for use in canada. Following years of research and use by growers and shippers these 14-dMN based prod- ucts have proven to be successful in controlling sprouts while maintaining the field freshness of potatoes. 14-DMN for Seed Potatoes 14sEEd is a revolutionary new tool for seed manage- ment. It restores and extends the natural dormancy of the potato while maintaining the seeds vigor. The sprout suppression is temporary in nature and fully reversible. It dissipates out of the potato over a period of time depending on the storage temperature ven- tilation rate and time applied. 14sEEd can be applied immediately after harvest during the storage season or up to 60 days prior to planting. NewDMNProductsExtendNatural DormancyofPotatoes Ship with Confidence 14shIp is an aerosol dormancy enhancer that treats fresh potatoes right in the shipping container. Its specially formulated fog permeates bags and boxes giving them one final application on the way to market that controls peeps and maintains their fresh appearance. Nothing is more frustrating than dealing with a rejected load of fresh potatoes that left the dock in great shape. Whether sent in a semi-truck railcar or shipping container fresh pack shippers are dependent upon transport companies to get their potatoes to market before they start to sprout. Delays such as breakdowns weather or lost railcars al- most inevitably result in partial or total load rejections or discounts. This simple cost effective product 14shIp is helping shippers vaporize costly load rejections. For information on any of the 14-dMN products call Bill Orr at 14GrOup caNada 708 218-7810 or borr14group.ca. 14-DMN potato dormancy enhancers registered for Canada. 780 218-7810 ADVERTORIAL SPUDSMART.COM SUMMER 201522 ONE OF THE more pervasive tuber diseases in North America silver scurf has been increasing in incidence and severity in recent decades. This has resulted in economic losses that have been most clearly felt in the fresh sector where unsightly potato skins can lower the market value of the crop. Tracy Shinners-Carnelley is the director of research and quality enhancement for Manitobas Peak of the Market a grower-owned not-for-profit vegetable marketing agency. She spoke about silver scurf and the fresh market experience at Manitoba Potato Production Days held in Brandon Man. earlier this year providing some valuable tips for growers looking for ways to battle the disease. WHAT IS SILVER SCURF Caused by a fungal pathogen known as Helminthosporium solani silver scurf causes skin blemishes on potatoes that are tan to silver in appear- ance. These well-defined lesions can expand and join together as they spread across the tuber surface. According to Shinners-Carnelley silver scurf is one of those potato diseases that growers often dont know is there until the blemished tubers come out of the storage. Its also considered a superficial disease in that the fungus is usually confined to the epidermal layer of the tuber although it can damage internal tissue thats in direct contact with infected skins. The skins of scurf-infected potatoes may also thicken and crack after some time in storage causing internal tissues to lose water and shrivel. In those very severe situations you can see it having a greater impact on quality says Shinners- Carnelley. Usually though silver scurf doesnt affect a potatos edibility much provided the damaged portions are cut away before cooking. Why then is silver scurf a cause for concern Producers for the fresh market know that a potatos appearance is a major selling feature so anything that dampens consumer appetites obviously needs to be avoided. These days smooth and thinner-skinned yellow and red varieties of potato tend to dominate the produce aisles and its on these kinds of cultivars that silver scurf tends to show up the most and inflict the most economic damage. For example its hard not to detect silver scurf on a yellow-skinned potato after its infected especially once its been washed. According to Shinners-Carnelley customer expectations are very high these days and one of the assumptions is that potatoes they buy will be attractive and relatively blemish-free. So silver scurf does have the risk of being a very important disease for the fresh industry she says. CONTROL MEASURES Prevention is the key to controlling silver scurf since once a potato has been infected it cant be cured. With this in mind a sensible approach is to start with the seed since the primary source of this disease in potatoes is from other infected tubers. Its important to use seed that is relatively free from silver scurf says Shinners-Carnelley. When an infected seed tuber is planted the spores will form on the surface of that seed. Then throughout the season theyll move down through the soil either by rain or irrigation water to get into that zone where the daughter tubers are developing or they can also grow down the stolons to come in contact with the daughter tubers. The infection then takes place and it isnt necessarily that obvious at harvest time unless you look really really carefully at the tubers she adds. You dont really tend to see the impact of silver scurf until its given some time in storage. Its possible that seed from some sources may be contaminated with silver scurf. Its useful Controlling Silver Scurf This common disease that causes unsightly blemishes on potatoes can be a headache for fresh market producers. What options are available to growers for controlling silver scurf BY MARK HALSALL TRACY SHINNERS- CARNELLEY Silver scurf does have the risk of being a very important disease for the fresh industry. Varying degrees of silver scurf infection on potatoes. 23SUMMER 2015 SPUDSMART.COM therefore to keep an eye out for signs of disease when sorting seed pieces throwing out tubers with significant lesions. Applying a chemical seed piece treatment that prevents ungerminated scurf spores from becoming active is another important control option. Though seed treatments have been shown to be effective at reducing silver scurf they will not completely prevent infection of daughter tubers particularly if the seed infection is severe. The silver scurf pathogen can also live in the soil for up to two years so the optimal way to break up the life cycle of H. solani is to rotate crops. If you are practicing a good three-year crop rotation with two years between potatoes you shouldnt see soilborne spores as a real source of inoculum for silver scurf says Shinners-Carnelley. LIMITING INOCULUM While silver scurf can develop on potatoes below ground while the plants are growing its at harvest time and afterwards that the real trouble usually starts. Shinners-Carnelley stresses the importance of minimizing the amount of time that potatoes spend in the field after vine death and skin set since silver scurf severity and damage increase the longer tubers are left in the ground. If tubers are sitting there and the tops have gone down this is the window of time when the infection risk of silver scurf really increases. And if that happens in the field it means youre bringing a higher level of disease into the bin she says. Once inside that storage you can have many disease cycles occur and as more occur of course the overall amount of silver scurf that you see will continue to increase Shinners-Carnelley adds. The reality is the conditions in the storage can be very conducive to having the disease develop so really you need to focus on other management strategies that help limit the amount of inoculum thats going into the bin. Shinners-Carnelley says one such strategy is reducing the amount of soil going into storage. When youre bringing potatoes into the bin youre also potentially bringing in a lot of soil and in a scenario like that there can be spores within that soil that can also be the source of inoculum. STORAGE CONDITIONS When infected tubers are put into storage the silver scurf lesions sporulate producing inoculum for secondary infections that can given the right conditions spread quickly throughout the bin. According to Shinners-Carnelley H. solani does best when relative humidity is above 90 per cent and temperatures are above 3 C. The same fundamental principals are in place whether its in the field or its in the bin. Your combination of temperature and moisture and Jeanette Gaultier from Manitoba Agriculture Food and Rural Development collaborated on the phosphorus acid storage study led by Tracy Shinners- Carnelley in 2009-10. ALL PHOTOS TRACY SHINNERS-CARNELLEY. If you are practicing a good three-year crop rotation with two years between potatoes you shouldnt see soilborne spores as a real source of inoculum for silver scurf. TRACY SHINNERS-CARNELLEY SPUDSMART.COM SUMMER 201524 inoculum is the recipe for disease but we often have very little control over the amount of moisture and temperature she says noting that growers often dont have a great deal of latitude to be able to manipulate such factors in storage. We know that there are trade-offs when that happens. Its impossible to really give specific parameters but generally speaking the cooler you can store your bin and the lower the humidity this is going to help reduce disease development says Shinners-Carnelley adding that this strategy for disease management must be balanced with maintaining the end use quality of the potatoes. Shinners-Carnelley notes that once potatoes start getting shipped out of storage this elevates the silver scurf risk even further through the movement and disruption of tuber piles which causes spores to spread. You get these secondary infections that come with that she says which can explain why people are so often surprised by the amount of silver scurf they see in the pile compared to what they observed going into storage. The amount of inoculum the storage conditions and the time in storage are really going to determine the level of disease that can develop and what will impact the crop Shinners-Carnelley says. Silver scurf spores can hide away in infested surfaces like concrete and wood within storage facilities. To help prevent the disease showing from one storage season to the next a sensible precaution is making sure the bin is as clean and disease-free as possible before the next batch of potatoes goes in. Its always best practice to be doing a good job of cleaning and disinfecting your storage bins between crops says Shinners-Carnelley. PHOSPHORUS ACID Among the newer weapons against the disease emerging in recent years are phosphorous acid- based fungicides for control of late blight and pink rot that have also demonstrated to be useful in suppressing silver scurf. Research has shown that the post-harvest application of a phosphorous acid product can be an effective treatment measure for controlling the disease in storage particularly when infection levels are low to moderate. Shinners-Carnelley says she participated in storage trials that tested the efficacy of phosphorus acid products for silver scurf suppression back in 2009-10. That was about the time there was a lot of interest in phosphorus acid and what a great chemistry it could be to help with post-harvest issues she says. The testing showed that a yellow potato variety treated with two phosphorous acid products Confine which is currently registered for silver scurf suppression in potatoes in Canada and Phostrol which is currently not registered for silver scurf in Canada had significantly less silver scurf than untreated control potatoes. According to Shinners-Carnelley post-harvest phosphorus acid applications have become standard practice for many growers catering to the fresh market. Its had a significant impact on reducing the level of silver scurf that we see she says. will impact the crop Shinners-Carnelley says. To help prevent the disease season to the next a sensible precaution is making sure the bin is as clean and disease-free as possible before the next batch of Its always best practice to be doing a good job of Tracy Shinners-Carnelleys silver scurf presentation along with other presentations delivered at this years Manitoba Potato Production Days are available online at mbpotatodays.ca2015presentations.html. WHERE ON THE WEB SPUDSMART.COM SUMMER 201526 If Plants Could Talk Scientists at Agricultural and Agri-Food Canadas Potato Research Centre hope to develop a handheld device that could one day tell farmers how their crops are doing. BY MELANIE EPP IMAGINE if you could walk into the field and have your potato plants tell you how they are doing. This groundbreaking technology is closer than you think. Two Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada scientists at the Potato Research Centre in Fredericton N.B. Bernie Zebarth and Helen Tai are working on a method for collecting data from plants almost the same way as a car mechanic assesses your cars engine. The researchers are looking at a process called plant gene expression as an indicator of how plants are behaving and what they are sensing in their environment. According to Zebarth plants like humans carry a library of their genetic material. Not all genes are turned on all of the time though. For example he says stress genes will only turn on when the plant experiences some kind of stressor such as nutrient deficiency disease cold temperatures or drought. Agricultural and Agri-Food Canada Scientist Bernie Zebarth is studying gene expression in potato plants as a way to assess nutrient needs of crops. ALL PHOTOS AAFC. The active genes are copied into RNA that is ribonucleic acid in a process called gene expression says Tai. At the molecular level RNA plays a central role in the pathway from DNA to proteins which are the workhorse of the plant cell carrying out critical biological functions. We extract RNA from plants and use it to query what genes are active and from that determine what stresses the plant is experiencing. FOCUS ON NUTRIENT NEEDS Specifically Zebarths and Tais research focuses on nitrogen phosphorus and potassium needs of potato plants. The goal says Zebarth is to develop a test capable of assessing the nutrient status of the crop as it grows in the field. In the future the researchers would like to broaden the scope of their work to also look at more plant stressors. Identification of the best genes to use in order to quantify the plant status is the more challenging part of the process. We initially focused on genes that can be used to assess potato nitrogen status. While we have made good progress we do not yet have a selection of genes that can be used reliably across all conditions Zebarth says. More recently we have started focusing on phosphorus and potassium as well he continues. Our long-term goal is to have a single assay that can detect multiple stresses. Tai is also working on a gene expression indicator for tubers that can guide the use of cold temperatures in storage. There may be something we can detect in the potato leaves during the growing season that would tell us about the starches and sugars inside the potato tuber which 27SUMMER 2015 SPUDSMART.COM are important in controlling potato quality and storage characteristics she says. The project began a number of years ago and the first results were published in 2010. Our first work was a small-scale study of plants in the greenhouse using reverse transcription- polymerase chain reaction RT-PCR technology to measure gene expression says Zebarth. In 2010 plant material from the field was used and new technology was added to the lab including robotics- assisted processing of plant samples and new gene expression technology called nCounter from Nanostring. The new technology he adds allowed them to upscale the capacity for gene expression analysis and accommodate many more samples from multiple field trials across Canada in their study. Currently this testing is done in the laboratory. However the technology used to measure gene expression is advancing so rapidly says Zebarth that they could be measuring gene expression in the field using handheld devices within the next couple of years. HANDHELD DEVICES As most growers know in order to achieve optimum yields and quality potato crops need high nutrient in- puts. Optimal nutrient application rates can vary widely from field to field and from year to year. For this reason a handheld device for evaluating a plants nutrient needs directly could be very beneficial for farmers. This can be an important tool for growers to make sure they supply enough nutrients to meet crop needs and achieve optimal yields but not to apply more nutrients than are needed by the crop and which can then be lost says Zebarth. We can consider the plant gene expression to act like the language of the plant and tools like this can be used to let the plant tell us how it is doing in terms of nutrient status he continues. There are added environmental benefits to the technology which can help reduce leaching of fertilizers into the water supply. By better matching nutrient applications to crop nutrient requirements we can use nutrients more efficiently and reduce any environmental nutrient losses Zebarth explains. He adds there are also potential economic benefits for growers since theyll have a tool that tells them exactly what the crop needs at the right time. With rising fertilizer costs more efficient nutrient management can result in significant savings for growers says Zebarth. Peter VanderZaag a noted potato farmer and scientist in Alliston Ont. believes agriculture represents a new frontier and is enthusiastic about the technologys potential. This whole thing of measuring whats going on inside a potato plant through a very simple app or a very simple tool is just to me so exciting he says adding that the possibility of a user-friendly device like the one envisioned by Zebarth and Tai shows how sophisticated the technology is becoming. We live in a rapidly changing world he says Its a good time for young educated and technologically astute people to be involved in farming because were living in very exciting times. VanderZaag believes a tool for measuring plant nutrient needs in the field could help farmers boost their productivity efficiencies and returns on investment by maybe one or two per cent and therefore shouldnt be viewed as the be-all and end- all for potato producers. I think that this is just one more tool in the toolbox he explains. The bottom line is that this is just one more way that a farmer can be efficient with the use of nutrients not to waste not to put too much on but also to make sure we have enough on in the right balance. Agriculture and Agri-Food scientists Bernie Zebarth and Helen Tai credit much of their research success to their surroundings as well as the AAFCs national network of top-notch researchers. Zebarth says the AAFC Potato Research Centre in Fredericton N.B. is one of the few laboratories in the world that is applying plant gene expression to the development of tools for assessing nutrient needs in crops. He adds the research being conducted requires a combination of skills including lab experience in molecular biology and expertise in soil science and agronomy. The Potato Research Centre houses a group of multi-disciplinary researchers that have the varied expertise needed for this research says Zebarth. To apply gene expression to the development of crop nutrient status monitoring requires validation of candidate indicator genes across field trials at multiple sites. AAFC has the advantage of having multiple field sites across Canada for carrying out trials. The sites he says are staffed with experienced researchers and technicians who have access to the farm equipment needed for potato cultivation. The development of gene expression indicators would not have been possible without this cross-Canada team of researchers and technicians Zebarth says. On March 17 the federal government announced a 1.83 million investment in a new Canadian-led initiative aimed at giving potato farmers a technological edge in predicting and preventing yield losses in their fields and in storage. Helen Tai will expand application of gene expression indicators to monitoring tuber quality in storage together with researchers from France and New Zealand and industry partners. The lead for the collaborative research effort is Claudia Goyer at the AAFCs Potato Research Centre. BENEFITS OF POTATO RESEARCH CENTRE Bernie Zebarth is among the group of multi-disciplinary researchers thats required for this kind of gene expression work. SPUDSMART.COM SUMMER 201528 From Chuno to Vodka Potato processing has been around for centuries and theres a lot more to it than making french fries and potato chips. BY HIELKE DE JONG FRESH POTATO consumption once the mainstay of world potato utilization is decreasing in many countries especially in developed regions. Currently more potatoes are processed to meet rising demand from the fast food snack and convenience food industries. The major drivers behind this development include growing urban populations rising incomes changing diets and the diversification of lifestyles that leave less time for preparing fresh potatoes at home. This shift in turn is affecting how cultivars are being grown. In North America especially the rise and fall of major cultivars can to a large extent be attributed to market demand cultivars which are best-suited for processing into french fries and chips are supplanting those which are not. CHUNO AND PAPA SECA The oldest form of potato processing is the preparation of chuno an ancient method of freeze-drying food that is at least 2000 years old. The procedure utilizes the occurrence of night-time freezing temperatures in June and July in the Andean region of South America. Tubers are exposed to freezing temperatures for three or four nights. They thaw out during the day and are then trampled by foot to remove the moisture. Afterwards they dry out in the sun. There are two types of chuno chuno blanco white and chuno negro black. In the preparation of chuno blanco the tuber skins are also removed and the tubers are washed in a stream. The chuno processing methods remove most of the glycoalkaloids bitter tasting natural compounds which confer resistance to insects and diseases. This is an important feature because it facilitates the consumption of otherwise bitter potatoes that because of their frost resistance can be grown at high altitudes. Capable of being stored for a year or longer chuno occupied a very important place in the Andean societies and made human life in the Andes above 3800 metres possible. Chuno was used by populations from higher altitudes to barter for products from lower elevations and could also be stored by the centrally controlled government of the Inca Empire and distributed to areas where there had been crop failures. After the Spanish conquest of the Incas chuno was also used to feed the slaves in the silver mines of Potosi located in what is now Bolivia. A form of dried potatoes known as papa seca is another ancient food preservation product. It is produced by boiling and hand-peeling potatoes that are then sliced or broken into small pieces and sun-dried. It can probably Dehydrated shredded potatoes circa 1940. SOURCE FOOD SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY DEPT. PHOTOGRAPHIC COLLECTION SPECIAL COLLECTIONS ARCHIVES RESEARCH CENTER OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES. Chuno negro left and chuno blanco at a market in La Paz Bolivia. SOURCE FREMEN TOURS LA PAZ BOLIVIA. 29SUMMER 2015 SPUDSMART.COM HANLON AG CENTRE 3005 18th Ave. North Lethbridge AB T1H 5V2 Phone 403.329.8686 Toll Free 1.800.461.5356 Cell 403.308.0341 www.hanlonag.com be considered a forerunner of modern dehydrated potato flakes. POTATO CHIPS The history of the potato chip has been described in detail by Dirk Burhans in his interesting book Crunch A History of the Great American Potato Chip. Legend has it that the potato chip was invented in 1853 by George Crum a First Nations chef at an upscale restaurant in Saratoga Springs in New York state. Fried potatoes were popular at the restaurant and one day a diner purported to be the American railroad tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt complained that the fries were too thick. Although Crum made a thinner batch the customer was still unsatisfied. Crum finally made fries that were too thin to eat with a fork hoping to annoy the extremely fussy customer. The customer surprisingly enough was happy and potato chips were invented. Initially known as Saratoga chips the new product spread quickly to surrounding areas. FRENCH FRIES Although it is frequently assumed that french fries originated in France that assumption may not be true. The Belgians claim to be the first to fry potatoes in the french manner there is even a french fry museum in the city of Bruges Belgium. In cooking terms to french is to cut in long slen- der strips. Although the practice of deep-frying slices of potatoes was quite common in Europe as early as the 1800s this was less so in North America until after the First World War. North American soldiers who had landed in Belgium had become fond of the potatoes fried in the french manner and insisted on eating french fries at home as well. The term french fries is not used in Europe. In France they are called pommes de terre frites or simply pommes frites and in the United Kingdom they are known as chips. In North America the consumption of french fries now exceeds that of fresh potatoes. DEHYDRATED POTATOES The need to feed armies during the Second World War was a great stimulus in the development and production of dehydrated potato products. Dehydrated potato flakes are primarily reconstituted as mashed potatoes and are also used in extruded chips as ingredients in snacks and even as emergency food aid for relief purposes. PROCESSING FOR NON-FOOD USES Because of its great versatility the potato can also be processed into several other forms many of which are for non-food purposes. Vodka produced from grain has for many centuries been a popular alcoholic beverage in Eastern Europe its interesting to note that both Poland and Russia claim to be the original home of vodka. When potatoes became more plentiful in those countries in the late 18th century the raw product for the production of vodka was partially switched from grains to potatoes because they were cheaper. Today potato vodka is produced in many countries including Poland and the United States. The production of alcohol from potatoes eventually led to the development of the potato starch industry in Europe and elsewhere. Because of its high versatility potato starch can be used by food pharmaceutical textile wood and paper industries as an adhesive binder texture agent and filler and by oil drilling firms to wash boreholes. Legend has it that the potato chip was invented in 1853 by George Crum a First Nations chef at an upscale restaurant in New York state. SPUDSMART.COM SUMMER 201530 ROUNDTABLE Expert views on best management practices in potato production. SUPPORTED BY JOHN GOFF Potato grower in Manitoba Post-harvest Field Care YVES LECLERC Director of agronomy North America for McCain Foods DOUG PRYOR Co-owner of Delta Ag Services in Manitoba SUCCESSFUL potato growers know that even the best soils can produce inferior yields and quality if steps arent taken after harvest to prepare their fields for the following year whether its being planted with potatoes or another crop in their rotation. We asked the following experts to identify and discuss some of the best management practices theyd recommend for an effective post-harvest field care strategy Yves Leclerc McCain Foods director of agronomy for North America whos based in Florenceville N.B. John Goff a potato grower and co-owner of Corduroy Plains Farms Ltd. in Carman Man. and Doug Pryor an agronomist and co-owner of Delta Ag Services based in Portage la Prairie Man. PLANTING COVER CROPS Leclerc Goff and Pryor all agreed that when possible planting cover crops after potatoes makes a great deal of sense as it helps keep soil from being carried away by wind or water though the winter. One thing we need to promote as much as possible is cover crops after harvest. I know its not always possible to do that because we tend to harvest late but whenever theres an early harvest adding a cover crop will help prevent soil erosion says Leclerc. If you can maintain your soil especially in areas that are prone to water or wind erosion thats very critical. Pryor believes that planting a winter annual crop right after harvesting potatoes is essentially a must for growers who can manage it. Im a firm believer that every potato field should have a cover crop planted on it he says. According to Pryor this is particularly important in potato-growing areas like parts of Manitoba that have sandier soils which are often more prone to soil erosion. Traditionally in our area in central Manitoba we either look at winter wheat or fall rye. If you can get it in early enough then well seed winter wheat and if its a little later than well seed fall rye he says. Potatoes being harvested in New Brunswick. The heavy equipment required in potato production can cause compaction problems in the field. PHOTO COVERED BRIDGE POTATO CHIP COMPANY. 31SUMMER 2015 SPUDSMART.COM Goff says hes pretty much gone to 100 per cent cover cropping after our potato crop because of the sandy soils on his farm. In our area we have a lot of problems with sand blowing and losing our topsoil. Weve found the most effective way to deal with that is to broadcast some fall rye right after we dig potatoes and then do a very light double disking just to knock down the potato hills. We then go and plant right into that the next year says Goff. Cover crops can also add valuable organic material and associated nutrients to the soil but on Goffs farm its not so much to build up organic matter its more about controlling soil erosion he says. CONTROLLING COMPACTION Another common soil-related headache for growers is compaction. Harvesting potatoes requires a lot of heavy equipment and massive machinery that can really tramp down the soil particularly in parts of the field that are prone to compaction such as wet spots and heavy traffic areas. Especially after potatoes I think one of the biggest issues that weve got is compaction. Its often something we dont necessarily understand very well but its huge says Leclerc. It creates some issues in the following year and compaction is also additive with time. If youre not able to remove that compaction youre creating issues with drainage of course. With drainage problems come poor root growth and poor plant development and greater risk of diseases he adds. Reducing compaction Leclerc notes is largely about traffic control. At harvest you should try to minimize as much as possible traffic that you create make it as site-specific as possible and then go back afterwards and remove that compaction he says. Pryor endorses deep ripping as a way to break up compacted soil even on potato farms with sandier soils. People think with sandy soil water just goes through but there are depression areas in sandy soils where water collects. These areas become severely compacted because of water laying and ponding so theres definitely a benefit to deep ripping sand as well he says. POST-HARVEST TILLAGE Pryor believes post-harvest tillage is generally a good management practice for getting fields ready for the following years crop. The most important step I would say is to improve the structure of the soil to break up any compacted areas to allow for good rooting of the crop in the future year he says. I recommend deep ripping in any field thats going into potatoes. So if its going to be potatoes in 2016 I would be deep ripping it in the fall of 2015 Pryor says. Growers can rip anywhere from 12 inches down to about 18 inches and it basically shatters any of the hard pan Pryor adds noting that deep ripping can also help build a better seed bed has more tilth to it and enables better rooting of the plants. It also helps address the critical issue of soil erosion. You want to be able to change that internal structure of the soil in that top plough layer but still maintain cover in way that eliminates the risk of soil erosion he says adding that the growers decision on which implement to use is often linked to how susceptible a field is to erosion. It depends on what the soil type is what their experience is with soil erosion and what theyre trying to accomplish Pryor says. There are implements out there that will rip down 18 to 20 inches and totally leave your stubble standing. There are other implements that have a little more surface action and will knock down some Corn emerging at the Corduroy Plains Ltd. farm in Carman Man. this spring. This field was planted with a fall rye cover crop following last years potato harvest to help prevent erosion over the winter. PHOTO JOHN GOFF. If you can maintain your soil especially in areas that are prone to water or wind erosion thats very critical. YVES LECLERC SPUDSMART.COM SUMMER 201532 ROUNDTABLE of the stubble and then there are other ones that will blacken it up quite well he says. Goff says he doesnt do any deep disc tilling on his farm because we dont have any compaction issues and we dont have any root penetration issues so it doesnt really make sense in our type of soil. We have found deep tilling delays getting on the soil in a wet spring before the frost is gone. Goff does work his fields in the fall before planting them with potatoes however. We always have wheat or canola prior to potatoes he says and in these fields following harvest well rip it with a four inch shovel just to kind of open the soil up. Right before planting the potatoes Goff will condition wheat ground with a straight blade coulter. We find that just chops up the residue and gives us a lot better soil contact for the seed piece he says. I have coultered it in the fall in the past to chop up the residue but I dont find that it does quite as good a job. It works a lot better in the spring after the straws had a chance to rot a little bit through the winter. BURNING VINES Leclerc says burning residual vines following harvest is something growers may want to consider if their potato crops have been particularly hard hit by disease or pests. I know that it can be a bit contentious but it can be useful in some situations he says. Here in New Brunswick for instance we used to have a lot of corn borer issues and one good measure to control the problem in the following years was to burn to vines. That could also be good for other types of pests and diseases as well. According to Goff and Pryor vine burning isnt a common practice on potato farms with sandy soils because any available organic material is needed to help sustain he soil. We do have a problem with baling vines after the potato crop Goff says adding that hes found that giving the field a light double disc following harvest helps address that. That kind of cuts the If you have ideas regarding best management practices in potato production or a possible topic for a future Roundtable discussion wed love to hear them. Please send your suggestions to Spud Smart editor Mark Halsall at mhalsallissuesink.com. vines up and keeps the wind from blowing and baling them up. Pryor says potato vines help hold the soil together and that reduces the risk of water or wind erosion. For this reason he says growers in his region will often perform a light discing of their potato fields in the fall to help push the residual vine cover back into the soil. BY MARK HALSALL MANITOBA POTATO PRODUCTION DAYS CONFERENCE TRADE SHOW Presentations Speakers Trade Show Equipment Displays Demos Grower Panel www.mbpotatodays.ca JANUARY 26-28 2016 BRANDON MANITOBA MANITOBA POTATO TUBERTALK LUKIE PIETERSE is a consultant and writer with decades of experience in the potato sector from growing his own drip-irrigated potatoes to writing international potato news. Tuber Talk is an insiders take on the issues impacting the industry. SPUDSMART.COM SUMMER 201534 4R NUTRIENT STEWARDSHIP represents an innovative approach to nutrient best management practices. Proponents of applying this concept to potato production believe that the principles of this approach provide a sound framework for growers to achieve cropping system goals such as increased production increased farmer profitability enhanced environmental protection and improved sustainability. In essence 4R nutrient stewardship implies that growers put the following best management practices in place in terms of the nutrient management of their potato crops Apply the right source of fertilizers best used by the crop and its soil Apply the right rate of fertilizer to match nutrient supply with crop requirements Apply fertilizer at the right rime so nutrients will be available when crop demand is high Apply or maintain fertilizer in the right place where the crop can access the nutrients most effectively 4R nutrient stewardship in Canada is being spearheaded by the Canadian Fertilizer Institute. According to Farming4rFuture.ca the CFIs website dedicated to the 4R nutrient management method following this approach optimizes the efficiency of fertilizer use by matching nutrient supply with crop requirements and minimizing nutrient losses from fields. Prince Edward Island was the first province to sign on to the 4R nutrient stewardship program. Fertilizing potato crops under 4R nutrient stewardship principals was introduced to Island growers in 2013 through a series of field-scale demonstration trials conducted by agronomist Steve Watts of Genesis Crop Systems under contract to CFI. The three-year contract was to last until the end of the 2015 cropping season but at a press conference in early April CFI Acting President Clyde Graham announced that funding for the program was being extended for another three years. 4R Nutrient Stewardship Making potato production more sustainable. The initial funding was for 150000 over the three years until 2015 and we are committed to renew the project and provide another 150000 worth of funding over the coming three years Graham said. We are very much encouraged by the results of the trial program thus far and we are excited about its continuation. Watts conducted several demonstration trials on potato farms for the program in 2013 and 2014. The purpose of the demonstration trials was to compare various 4R best management practices with fertilization practices currently popular among P.E.I. potato growers. A total of 13 farms were involved in the trial last year. Introducing subtle changes to the way a crop is fertilized can produce crops with at least as much economic value as the current level of management while lessening the potential environmental impact says Watts. Windrower at work in a 4R nutrient stewardship trial field in P.E.I. during the 2014 harvest season. ALL PHOTOS STEVE WATTS GENESIS CROP SYSTEMS. 35SUMMER 2015 SPUDSMART.COM In his view the best result of the work so far is that all participating growers have faith in a positive outcome and truly believe there are better ways to feed their crops. Island growers are not hesitant to continue to try to identify and evaluate ways to adopt and practice new cropping methods that deliver beneficial results Watts says. DIFFERENT STRATEGIES Watts implemented a number of different strategies at the 4R nutrient stewardship demonstration sites including the following Splitting nitrogen N applications into two or three separate applications including a reduced level of N in the planter mix as compared to areas treated with GSP fertilizer. A number of sites also featured reductions in total N application by 10 to 20 per cent under the grower standard practice GSP. Reducing application of phosphorus pentoxide P205. The reason for this was that most soils in the potato growing areas of P.E.I. already have high levels of P205 and likely do not need as much phosphorus applied as the amounts currently favoured by many Island growers. Split applying potash K2O with a pre-plant broadcastincorporated application of muriate of potash MOP and a banded application at planting with a combination of KMag fertilizer and sulfate of potash. The GSP K2O program traditionally used by Island growers involves almost exclusive use of MOP which increases the salt concentration around the tuber zone and may reduce tuber specific gravity when banded at planting. Because magnesium boron and zinc can be quite low in many Island fields these micronutrients were added to fertilization programs where soil tests indicated potential benefits to crops. All growers were asked to avoid application of any foliar fertilizer products on the 4R sections of the field unless advised to do otherwise by Genesis Crop Systems. The official report on the 2014 trial results concludes that 4R nutrient stewardship practices trended towards equal or better performance than conventional crop fertility practices. The report further states that 4R nutrient stewardship management on the participating potato farms resulted in lower soil nitrate levels which reduces the potential for nitrate movement to the environment at eight out of 10 locations. The field trials that Watts has evaluated to date have also helped increase grower awareness of the 4R approach. Island potato grower and P.E.I. Potato Board Chairman Alex Docherty says the board is a strong supporter of the 4R program. The board views the 4R program as a perfect fit for P.E.I. potato farmers who are committed to economic and environmental sustainability. There is no doubt that an improved marketable yield with less impact on the environment is a win-win situation for everyone farmers and the public alike he says. Reflecting on the trial results during the past two seasons Docherty says its clear the 4R approach can have a big impact on marketable yield while at the same time reducing the level of nutrients that could be lost to ground and surface water. Minimizing the impact of farming on the environment is a priority in Prince Edward Island as concerns remain about nutrient losses to ground and surface water. We are indeed very encouraged by the Minimizing the impact of farming on the environment is a priority in Prince Edward Island as concerns remain about nutrient losses to ground and surface water. ALEX DOCHERTY results of the 4R program that have been shared so far he says. We are also very happy that CFI has extended the trial program for an additional three years here on the Island. We believe that the benefits for Island growers will be huge. GOOD FIT WITH PRECISION AG One of the trials with the 4R nutrient stewardship program was conducted on a field belonging to Island Holdings. Farm manager Jared Wright says that the 4R principles and its practice are a perfect fit for modern technologies that enable growers to move successfully towards the application of precision farming techniques. We can definitely see the benefits of the 4R approach in terms of nutrient application in our operation he says. For example we might have a field where in the past nutrients were blanket-applied. When we follow the 4R approach we may ultimately use the exact same amount of fertilizer as in the past but apply it in a more targeted way where some areas of the field receive less some more and some none. This ensures that we treat the field and consequently the crop in a much more site-specific and precise manner. We can see the positive results of this approach when harvest time rolls around no question about that he says. According to Watts the 4R nutrient stewardship programs evaluated to date should be considered as works in progress. The main objective he says is to continue to identify and demonstrate new and modern methods of fertilizing the potato crop that will meet the goals of the producer but also the environment and society in general. Potatoes being planted under the 4R nutrient stewardship model at Birch Farms Ltd. one of the P.E.I. producers involved in demonstration trials of the 4R method. SPUDSMART.COM SUMMER 201536 Canadian Potato Council Update Plant health potato marketing wireworm control and plant breeders rights were just some of the topics discussed at the March meeting in Quebec City.BY JOHN BAREMAN AND BRENDA SIMMONS THE CANADIAN POTATO COUNCIL and the Seed Potato Subcommittee met jointly on March 10 just prior to the Canadian Horticultural Councils 93rd Annual General Meeting in Quebec City Que. Forty members and observers representing provincial potato grower organizations the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and provincial governments attended the meeting. PLANT HEALTH The CPC is part of the Potato Expert Group of the North American Plant Protection Organization NAPPO which is a forum for public and private sectors in Canada United States and Mexico to collaborate in the regional protection of plant JOHN BAREMAN is the chair of the Canadian Potato Council. He and Brenda Simmons vice-chair of the CPC co-authored this report from the organizations March meeting. Members of the Canadian Potato Council meeting at the Fairmont Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City Que. on March 10. PHOTO CANADIAN POTATO COUNCIL. resources and the environment while facilitating trade. Plant protection and trade facilitation are achieved through the development and implemen- tation of science-based standards and related plant protection activities that are directed towards preventing the introduction and spread of regulated plant pests. The Potato Expert Group is currently working on alignment of North American regional standards with international standards for the entry of potato micropropagative material and minitubers into NAPPO countries. The outcome would be entry into Canada and other NAPPO countries of plant material with reduced post-entry requirements provided such material is produced in a facility meeting designated standards. 37SUMMER 2015 SPUDSMART.COM The continued testing of fields for the presence of potato cyst nematode PCN continued in 2014 with 13144 samples tested in CFIAs National Detection Survey. This sampling represented 24 per cent of the certified seed production acreage in Canada. No detections were reported. Since 2006 244701 samples have been tested in the survey all with negative results. In a discussion of the revised PCN guidelines that were implemented in May 2014 questions have been raised regarding the interpretation of what defines a field in relation to historical soil sampling and testing. It is hoped that an agreement between CFIA and the United States Department of Agriculture will soon be reached on the revised definition of a field and the associated use of historical testing data. POTATO WART UPDATE At the March CPC meeting CFIA provided an update on potato wart testing and detection management of the disease and export requirements. The agencys surveillance activities include post-harvest field inspection tuber inspection at harvest or entering storage or leaving storage and soil sampling. A total of 18854 soil samples were taken in 2014 and 16662 had been tested at the time of the CPC meeting. Since then testing has been completed on all remaining samples. A U.S. Federal Order was released by USDAs Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service in January allowing seed to be imported into the United States from Prince Edward Island if it originated from non-regulated fields that tested negative for potato wart and potato cyst nematode. In terms of other seed related issues importers and growers purchasing seed from the United States are encouraged to request the North American Certified Seed Potato Health Certificate from the exporter. This contains information required to establish equivalency of the seed to Canadian requirements including history of bacterial ring rot testing on the seed lot. Unlike the situation in Canada where CFIA accredits private testing laboratories there is no such approval process in place for USDA approval of private laboratories conducting testing in the United States. This has been raised as a serious concern by the CPC and we understand that the USDA will develop an accreditationapproval process for testing facilities in the U.S. in the coming year. CFIA provided a presentation via conference call on the status of e-Phytos electronic certification system in the plant health area. CFIAs new Electronic Service Delivery Platform ESDP is just starting to be designed and built. Deployment of the platform which will include building client profiles training CFIA and industry personnel and staged deployment of export certificates will start in April 2016 and end in June 2017. All entities that deal with CFIA will be registered in the ESDP and exporters will be able to apply and monitor the progress of their applications online. Certificates will be issued electronically to importing countries. A National Export Service Centre will be established to process applications. MARKETING AND PROMOTION A national promotional media campaign was devel- oped by the CPC Promotion and Marketing Working Group and the United Potato Growers of Canada with a focus on the health benefits of potatoes and debunking nutritional myths. Different media options were looked at and Rogers Media properties Chatelaine and Todays Parent were selected for the campaign which ran ads in the FebruaryMarch issues of the magazines. The cost of the campaign was shared among provincial potato organizations with each regional contribution based on 2013 fresh potato acres. The CPC is appreciative of the matching funds provided by Ottawas Growing Forward 2 program that helps support this initiative through the AAFC AgriMarketing Program. The CPC also endorsed moving forward with the next phase of a project examining the feasibility of Techmark is more than a storage ventilation company. We are a Total Storage Quality Management Company. Storage system innovation through integration of technology and experience. Techmarks product and service lines are designed to work for your storage management team and create efficient profitable operating procedures for your storage systems. 15400 S. US 27 Lansing MI 48906 USA www.techmark-inc.com 517-322-0250 For service and sales in Manitoba contact our dealer Smart Electric Services 204 834-2440 -Ventilation system controls and equipment -In-floor air cup system -Impact Recording Device IRD for bruise reduction -Laboratory services for process quality and sugar analysis -Prescriptive Ventilation for targeted airflow SPUDSMART.COM SUMMER 201538 establishing a National Promotion and Research Agency NPRA for potatoes. This phase includes broader con- sultation on a province-by-province basis with a wide range of stakeholders including growers processors importers retailers and other interested groups. The purpose would be to provide stakeholders with facts regarding the establishment of an NPRA act as a forum for discussion and to determine areas of support or concern. Funding is currently being sought to partially support this next phase of the project. RESEARCH The CPC Research Working Group is responsible for co-ordinating research priorities and implement- ing research projects to address those identified priorities. Potato research projects totalling 8 million including an industry contribution of 2 million under the Canadian Agri-Science Cluster for Horticulture 2 program are ongoing for the period spanning April 2013 to March 2018. Interim progress reports for each of the six funded potato projects are now available on the CHC website at hortcouncil.ca projects-and-programsagri-science-cluster2.aspx. In addition to these research projects a new propos- al for work on late blight was submitted to AAFC by the CPC Research Working Group earlier this year. WIREWORM CONTROL The CPC continues to advocate for the continued use of phorate Thimet 15-G for controlling wireworm in potatoes. Activities include the submission of a ben- efits and current potato production package to the Pest Management Regulatory Agency and meetings with senior agency officials. Since its March meeting the CPC has developed and distributed to provincial organizations a best management practices factsheet describing the identified environmental risks associated with Thimet 15-G use and application practices that can be adopted by growers to reduce and mitigate risks. The CPC also successfully requested that the Pest Management Regulatory Agency extend the last date of sale by retailers and distributors by 30 days to June 1 in order to accommodate planting dates that had been delayed by a late spring in Atlantic Canada. SEED TUBER INSPECTION Exports of seed potatoes to Canadas largest customer were jeopardized when the federal government announced CFIA would stop providing seed tuber shipping point inspection services by April 2014 prompting the USDA and American growers to respond that seed grower tuber inspection under a CFIA-audited process known as the Seed Potato Tuber Quality Management Program was not acceptable. The CPC continues to work toward resolution of seed potato tuber inspection at time of shipment for exports to the United States in co-operation with AAFC CFIA and provincial governments by con- sidering feasible options moving forward to ensure continued export of seed potatoes to the United States. We appreciate Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritzs assurance that CFIA will continue to conduct full shipping point inspection until an acceptable alternative can be found. PLANT BREEDERS RIGHTS The CPC representing Partners in Innovation a coalition of leading Canadian farmer and agriculture groups and the Potato Growers of Alberta presented to both the House and Senate Standing Committees on Agriculture in support of amendments to Plant Breeders Rights in Canada. The CPC is very pleased with the legislative chang- es now in force that grant extended protection of new varieties. Six potato varieties were among the first crop varieties to be granted extended protection under the standards established by the International Union for the Protection of New Plant Varieties UPOV91. Bulk Beds and Crop Carts Spudnik.com - Bulk Bed lengths from 20 - 26 feet - Fast unloading with the new max flow drive system - Increase harvest efficiency with a Crop Cart - 700 sack 35 Ton capacity use in multiple crops year round Start the conversation with us on your favourite network Spud Smart is Social Contributing to the success and growth of the potato industry with up to the minute news and information on all social platforms. Follow SpudSmartMag on Twitter Like Spud Smart on Facebook eye SPUDSMART.COM SUMMER 201540 NEW BRUNSWICK By Louis Ouellette Market Information Co-ordinator Potatoes New Brunswick The 2014 crop held up very well throughout the entire storage season and quality was excellent with next to no storage issues. As of mid-June inventories were still higher than normal on processing and fresh potatoes for this time of the year but with a hopefully busy end to the season we could see these extra potatoes find a proper home. Seed quality has also been excellent for the 2014 crop as it was for the 2013 crop. New Brunswick seed growers worked very diligently in all aspects of their seed growing operations and managed to achieve another very successful year with over 95 per cent of the crop being at or below a three per cent potato virus Y level. The 2015 planting season started around the second week of May and was completed on or about the second week in June which is considered close to normal. It was a strange planting season with all kinds of weather to speak of rain at times light or heavy snow hail and some light frost that at times kept growers off the fields. Rainfall for the month of May would be considered normal to just above normal but that still made for difficult work for some growers who were able to plant only for half a day here and there. The first part of June saw the weather trend continue with a couple of great days followed by an afternoon or evening of rain which delayed growers from completing the spring work. As of mid-June all of the earliest planted fields had good emergence and later scheduled varieties had also started to come up through the ground. Despite the early weather challenges the 2015 crop has been progressing well and early indications are for a successful season. ONTARIO By Peter VanderZaag Owner Sunrise Potato Storage And Eugenia Banks OMAFRA Potato Specialist After a very cold winter spring came quickly in March and it was warm and dry for most of April and especially so for May. This permitted the potato crop to be planted early and it was completed quickly. There were a few surprises like a significant frost at the end of May that did damage some emerged crops. Extremely dry conditions also resulted in some irregular emergence depending on the variety. In first part of June we received lots of rain and cool weather which the potato plants loved. As of mid-June the crop was growing rapidly with row closure and flowering starting for the earlier planted fields. Overall there is optimism for a good crop. By mid-June the old crop was getting cleaned up out of storage. There were still significant quantities of chip stock potatoes in storage all of which had a home. There were still some table stock potatoes being packed. It looks like the new crop will be early but this shouldnt negatively affect the old stored crop which will likely be all cleaned up by this years potato harvest. Late blight remains a threat as it has been present the past two years in many parts of Ontario. Furthermore the discovery of late blight in potatoes on the Eastern Seaboard of the United States adds to the threat. Farmers are encouraged to have all foliage protected by regular fungicide sprays in their regular spray programs this year to prevent late blight infection. The dry weather in May will help to reduce incidence of late blight from possible seed source plant infection in the field. Many questions remain as the growing season unfolds but right now there is a very positive outlook for the 2015 crop. 41SUMMER 2015 SPUDSMART.COM MANITOBA By Dan Sawatzky General Manager Keystone Potato Producers Association The 2015 planting season in Manitoba began earlier than normal and well ahead of the past two seasons. The majority of the processing crop was put in the ground during the last week of April and the first week of May. A cool wet May resulted in minor reseeding and some delays in planting completion. Despite delayed crop emergence and some frost damage mid-June crop progress was on average about four days ahead of normal. Rainfall in the early seeded areas was timely with some areas initiating irrigation during the second week of June. An exception was the Shilo Douglas area where lighter soils have a greater water requirement and water application generally begins sooner there than elsewhere. The central region had adequate moisture as of mid-June. Another positive change this year was the increase in contract volume following two consecutive years of decreases. Previous investment in buildings and equipment can be utilized which helps in gaining back some efficiencies. With the earlier planting the percentage increase in planted acreage is not anticipated to match the increase in contracted volume percentage due to a higher yield expectation. Growers realize that surplus production is often a burden to market and therefore have attempted to match production with contract volumes. Following planting the focus shifts to managing the rapidly growing crop. Scouting for weeds insects and disease is ongoing. Managing fertility and irrigation to optimize yield and quality demands attention throughout the summer. Production from the 2014 crop continues to store well and should be processed by the time the new crop is ready. Surplus has been manageable and is spoken for by our local processors. If the spring was any indication of the rest of the season we are hopeful that Manitoba producers will face less weather challenges than the previous couple of years. ALBERTA By Terence Hochstein Executive Director Potato Growers of Alberta Alberta experienced a relatively open and dry winter and as a result the planting season got off to a relatively early start. By mid-June most areas were about 10 days to two weeks ahead of a normal growing season although the central and northern seed-growing areas were in need of some moisture to keep the development of the crop going. By June 20 many of the southern irrigated acres had row closure. Some wind and hail damage in early June had set some crops back but it was early enough in the growing season to anticipate a full recovery. Overall the total planted acres in Alberta will be down somewhat this year from last as there is a slight reduction in processing acres and some seed growers have exited the business. On the fresh side we are anticipating a slight increase with some new growers entering the creamer market with Edmontons Little Potato Company. With Albertas early start and a little help from Mother Nature our growers are looking forward to getting back to producing a high-yielding high-gravity and excellent-quality crop that we are accustomed to supplying the processors. Alberta growers continue to focus on our spore trapping and late blight monitoring programs in hopes of regaining our prized late blight free status. This is a tall order but one that the scientific community in the province feels is attainable. SPUDSMART.COM SUMMER 201548 Potato stocks are up considerably in Canada from last year largely due to the large number of fresh potatoes remaining in storage in Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick. KEVIN MACISAAC The fresh side is way up. Its up 70 per cent compared to a year ago. CANADAS POTATO storage holdings as of June 1 were up almost eight per cent or slightly more than 1.3 million hundredweight from the year before according to figures from the United Potato Growers of Canada. In Eastern Canada the year-to-year increase was almost 22 per cent mainly due to substantial increases in storage holdings in Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick. Western Canada actually saw a decline in yearto-year storage holdings of just over 10 per cent. Kevin MacIsaac UPGC general manager says the big issue lies in the number of fresh potatoes in storage. The fresh side is way up he says. Its up 70 per cent compared to a year ago. So thats about another million and a quarter hundredweight that has to go through the fresh channels before the crop finishes. According to MacIsaac the biggest table stock surpluses are in P.E.I. and New Brunswick. Provinces in the West are actually running out he says and Ontario and Quebec are about where they should be. So those extra fresh potatoes are on the East Coast. What it means is that some of those potatoes arent going to get packed MacIsaac adds indicat- ing that much of this unpacked stock could end up as cattle feed. One positive thing is that the planting season is quite late in the East he says which will give growers more time to clean up as much of the old crop as they can before the new crop comes in. Certainly last year was a season when the packers would have liked to pack a little longer because they ran out early. This year is just the opposite theyre going to have to run quite late in order to try to get them all through. ITS A DIFFERENT picture when it comes to seed potatoes in storage according to MacIsaac. In 2014 there was excess seed available and some of that eventually had to be moved into other channels. This year its quite the opposite he says with the result that supply has matched up nicely with demand. We have 63 per cent less seed than we had a year ago so thats good. On the processing side storage holdings were pretty much on pace with the previous year with just a five per cent increase from June 1 2014 to June 1 2015 MacIsaac says. Most of those excess processing potatoes are again in the East he adds. Theyre not all contracted so I dont know where some of those opens will end up going. SOUTH OF THE border the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that the 13 states that report potato stocks had 56.5 million hundredweight of potatoes in storage on June 1. That exceeded year-earlier holdings by 9.6 million hundredweight a 20.5 per cent increase. The June 1 potato stocks were at their highest level since 2001. Stocks increases were widespread though 75 per cent of the extra potatoes were located in Idaho and Wisconsin. Bruce Huffaker of the North American Canadian Potato Storage Holdings 000 cwt JUNE 1 HOLDINGS 2015 CROP JUNE 1 HOLDINGS 2014 CROP PROVINCE FRESH PROCESS SEED TOTAL FRESH PROCESS SEED TOTAL 2014-15 CHANGE Prince Edward Island 726 5862 155 6743 149 4787 45 4981 35.4 New Brunswick 698 1988 21 2707 134 1373 668 2175 24.5 Quebec 1101 575 39 1715 1004 804 4 1812 -5.4 Ontario 111 578 15 704 153 638 0 791 -11.0 Eastern Canada 2636 9003 230 11869 1440 7602 717 9759 21.6 Manitoba 266 3184 0 3450 247 3987 100 4334 -20.4 Saskatchewan NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA Alberta 41 3108 94 3243 43 2972 109 3124 3.8 British Columbia 0 0 16 16 1 0 13 14 14.3 Western Canada 307 6292 110 6709 291 6959 222 7472 -10.2 Total Canada 2943 15295 340 18578 1731 14561 939 17231 7.8 SOURCE UNITED POTATO GROWERS OF CANADA. Potato Market News says while this suggests that the industry is sitting on a massive surplus much of this years increase may reflect undercounting in past years rather than a large overhang on the current market. THE NAPMN reported that most 2015 fry potato contracts had been settled by early May with U.S. prices mostly unchanged to down 1.5 per cent. Indications were that contract volumes were down somewhat in Idaho and Wisconsin from 2014 while Columbia Basin volume was up slightly up from last year. The NAPMN reported that other U.S. growing areas were expecting volumes to be similar to 2014. THE USDA reports that growers planted 955300 acres to fall potatoes in 2015. That exceeds the 2014 planted area by 18400 acres a two per cent increase. The USDA is also reporting that U.S. growers planted fewer summer potatoes this year than last. A total of 49300 acres have been planted to summer potatoes which is 1100 fewer acres or a 2.2 per cent reduction from 2014. MARKETNEWS 3971 Old Walnut Road P.O. Box 429 Alvinston Ontario Canada N0N 1A0 95-0-100-27 Dark Green 57-0-100-0 Light Green 1 28-0-50-0 Light Green 2 cangrow.com EASTERN CANADA Contact Jacco deLange Utopia Ontario 705-333-1231 visioncangrow.com WESTERN CANADA Contact Hal Reed Taber Alberta 403-634-1671 jemcangrow.com Contact the CanGrow potato specialist in your area realize the advantage of higher profits per acre through improved quality and quantity and join the growing list of CanGrow success stories. Improve quality and increase yields with CropKarb and PivotPower for potatoes. CanGrow formulations offer growers a custom advantage to address their specific needs and optimize yields. Our proven and comprehensive program for potato crops provides a complete nutrient program that promotes crops that are not only high yielding but of superior quality. Using CanGrow formulations like CropKarb and PivotPower growers optimize yields in premium potatoes for both the table and chip markets. One week after CropKarb application. Untreated. Our CropKarb potato program is a proven true biostimulant product that utilizes next generation biostimulant technology to enhance root activity while improving bloom set and fruit sizingbulking. A single application of CropKarb delivers PercPlus to enhance plant vigor and root activity Boron Plus to help set and hold more of the youngest fruit and Nutri K to improve fruit sizing and bulking. Specifically developed for Alberta Potato fields our PivotPower formulation is designed to control plant growth displace sodium and maintain hormonal balance in the tuber zone. Applying PivotPower 1 2 or 3 times per season will also condition the tuber zone soil structure and increase water penetration calcium tissue levels and potassium uptake for improved tuber quality and resilience. CropKarb PivotPower WORLDREVIEW SPUDSMART.COM SUMMER 201550 SPAIN The Spanish potato industry launched a promotional campaign in May designed to stop declining potato consumption. According to Jose Ramon Aguado president of the Spanish Potato Forum the seven-month media campaign by the countrys potato producers processors and distributors is aimed at promoting consumption of new potatoes emphasizing their flavour qualities as well as their nutrition value and other benefits. Consumers in Spain are eating 35 per cent fewer potatoes than they were 25 years ago. Spaniards consumed 37 kilos per person per year in 1990 a figure that now stands at around 24 kilos per person per year Aguado says. The countrys potato producing area has also shrunk considerably declining 30 per cent in the past decade. Aguado maintains many factors are contributing to the decline in potato consumption and production such as rising prices a lack of profitability for producers and the fact product might not always have the best quality. SOURCE FRESH PLAZA THE NETHERLANDS A small field on an island off the Netherlands northern coast promises one answer to the problem of how to feed the worlds ever-growing population potatoes and other crops that grow in saltwater. Every day swathes of farmland somewhere in the world become unusable because of salty soil but farmers on windswept Texel are finding solutions using traditional methods. The team headed by farmer Mark van Rijsselberghe has planted around 30 types of potato and their approach is simple anything that dies in the saline environment is abandoned and anything that lives we try to follow up on says Van Rijsselberghe. Its faster. The experiments do not just target potatoes but also look at how other crops grow in saltwater including carrots strawberries onions and lettuce. The potatoes grown on Texel taste sweeter than those grown on normal land because the plant produces more sugars to compensate for the salty environment says van Rijsselberghe. The salt absorbed by the plant stays in the leaves not in the flesh. The world loses just under 5000 acres of agricultural land a day to salt-induced degradation in 75 countries caused by bad or absent irrigation according to the UNs Institute for Water Environment and Health. The problem today affects an area the size of France about 62 million hectares or 20 per cent of the worlds irrigated lands up from 45 million hectares in the early 1990s. These salt potatoes could transform the lives of thousands of farmers in affected regions and in the long term those of around 250 million people who live on salt-afflicted soil. Countries ranging from Egypt to Bangladesh and India have already asked for advice on planting their own salt-proof crops. SOURCE PHYSICS.ORG PACIFIC ISLANDS Almost 70 new varieties of potato and sweet potato are being made available to Pacific Island countries and territories to improve food security across the region. The Fiji-based Secretariat of the Pacific Communitys Centre for Pacific Crops and Trees CePACT has received 42 new potato varieties as tissue cultures that are sub-tropical heat-tolerant and resistant to some potato viruses. The Centre also received 27 advanced hybrid sweet potato varieties. Potato is becoming one of the most consumed crops in the Pacific Islands region with some countries and territories beginning to grow potatoes while Fiji imports many potatoes every year. The new potato varieties originate from Peru while the sweet potato tissue cultures are also mainly from Peru but also from Argentina Bolivia and Ecuador. The new crops were acquired from the Peru-based International Potato Center. A growing demand in the Pacific region for disease-resistant and nutrient-rich crop diversity that is suitable for a tropical climate has led CePACT to source new improved varieties from its partners in the Consultative Group of International Agriculture Research. Accessing new adaptable and resilient hybrids will assist Pacific countries and territories with import substitution to improve food security. SOURCE SECRETARIAT OF THE PACIFIC COMMUNITY ASIA Potato Corner a leading vendor of flavoured french fries with hundreds of locations in operation worldwide is expanding its operations in Asia. The Philippines- based company is planning to open 60 new stores in its home country as well as set up 10 new stores in Indonesia this year. At present there are over 550 Potato Corner stores globally. Of this total 90 are located outside the Philippines in markets such as Indonesia Australia Indonesia Panama United Arab Emirates and the United States. Aside from opening new stores the retailer also plans to enter new markets amid inquiries from individuals who have tried Potato Corners french fries during their stay in the Philippines. Many of the inquiries we received from overseas are from young individuals who want to become entrepreneurs and were our customers before says Potato Corner CEO Jose Magsaysay Jr. adding there are ongoing talks with potential partners for Potato Corner in China Singapore Thailand Mexico and Spain. SOURCE THE PHILIPPINE STAR SPANIARDS EATING 25 FEWER POTATOES TODAY THAN 25 YEARS AGO PHOTO SPC CEPACTSAVAFIJI More listings available at spudsmart.com. To publicize your event contact Spud Smart editor Mark Halsall at mhalsallissuesink.com. Upcoming events in your region and around the world. SPUDCALENDAR EUROPE SEPTEMBER 2-3 PotatoEurope 2015 Kain Belgium potatoeurope.com OCTOBER 23-25 PMA Fresh Summit Convention Expo Atlanta Ga. pma.com AUGUST 11 PGA North Field Day Edmonton Alta. albertapotatoes.ca AUGUST 27 B.C. Potato Variety Field Trial Day Delta B.C. PHOTO COURTESY OF ALLISTONHERA LD AUGUST 20 Ontario Potato Field Day Alliston Ont. SEPTEMBER 15-18 Process Expo 2015 Chicago Ill. myprocessexpo.com AUGUST 14 Quebec Parmentier Potato Field Day Sainte-Croix de Lotbiniere Que. AUGUST 7-9 Alliston Potato Festival Alliston Ont. allistonpotatofestival.com AUGUST 13 PGA South Field Day Taber Alta. albertapotatoes.ca 51SUMMER 2015 SPUDSMART.COM INDUSTRYNEWS Did you know that sodium will compete with potassium for plant uptake PRODUCT NEWS P.E.I. Potato Bags Get Makeover Prince Edward Island potato bags are sporting a new look. The P.E.I. Potato Board has spent the last couple of years researching and creating the new design with the help of a Toronto firm that specializes in packaging. The new paper bag looks as if its made of burlap with a logo at the centre with Prince Edward Island and a red map of the Island. The bag includes a recipe with a photo and a short history of Island potatoes. The bags are now on store shelves at several large retailers in Ontario and the Maritimes. Kendra Mills the P.E.I. Potato Boards marketing director says the goal is to increase the consumption and distribution of P.E.I. potatoes. New Product Prevents Sprouting in Storage BioSafe Systems has introduced ARRET Sprout Treatment for the 2015 potato storage season a solution approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for fresh pack line treatments as well as for fogging treatment applications. According to BioSafe ARRET is a new innovative chemistry that utilizes a green and sustainable fatty acid formulation that burns down sprouts on contact. Its described by the company as a highly cost-efficient and effective product that provides growers with a new tool to enhance quality and storage life of potatoes in turn increasing yield and the bottom line. BUSINESS NEWS Packaging Equipment Manufacturer Purchased Duravant a global engineered equipment manufacturer serving the food processing packaging and material handling sectors announced in May it had purchased Hamer LLC the Plymouth Minn.- based manufacturer of packaging equipment for a variety food products including potatoes. Duravant acquired Hamer which specializes in automated bagging systems fillers sealers and robotic palletizers from Hanover Partners and Tuckerman Capital. The purchase is aimed at expanding Duravants packaging platform and strengthening its engineering design and service expertise in bag management system solutions. INDUSTRY NEWS Reward Upped in Potato Tampering Investigation On June 29 Prince Edward Islands potato industry increased the reward it is offering to 500000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction Please visit www.greentronics.comsavings or contact us for details at 519-669-4698 Track Inventory and Truck Loads with the RiteWeight Digital Conveyor Scale system Great time saver very affordable easy to run- Paul Sowinski Sowinski Farms Bertrand MO Contact us now and save up to 10 Weigh any product on-the-y using your own conveyor Fits nearly all conveyor types and styles Display and Save data for Bins and loads Saves time get the load weight right the rst time Works on tilting conveyors with the optional Tilt Compensation Module Rampart Fungicide has NO sodium. That means Rampart offers excellent uptake. of whomever is responsible for inserting metal objects into potatoes. The new reward is available until Aug. 15 and tips received from Aug. 16 to Oct. 31 will be eligible for the previous reward amount of 100000. Earlier in June the federal government announced it will spend 1.5 million to help Prince Edward Island farmers to buy metal detection equipment to help find foreign objects in potatoes. The funding will be used to purchase and install detection equipment while an extra 500000 from the P.E.I. government is being used for on-site security assessments and training. Potato Growers Reach 25 Million Antitrust Settlement A U.S. potato growers co-operative has agreed to pay 25 million to settle allegations that it violated antitrust law by acting as a cartel to raise prices. Under the deal which was granted preliminary approval by a federal judge on June 17 the United Potato Growers of America and affiliated companies and organizations must pay 19.5 million to grocers and 5.5 million to consumers. The defendants have also agreed to cease any attempt to manage potato acreage prior to planting for seven years. It already appears however that the agreement wont put the issue to rest. UPGA officials reported in June that one of the major plaintiffs Kansas-based Associated Whole Grocers will likely press forward with its own lawsuit rather than participating in the settlement. Soil Bacteria Could Protect Against Late Blight A research scientist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has discovered that naturally occurring bacteria found in some Saskatchewan and Alberta soils could offer protection against late blight disease in potatoes. Sue Boyetchko and her team are taking the bacteria multiplying them in a lab and applying the bacteria to potato plants as well as the tubers themselves. What we are trying to do is develop this into a product so that farmers or home gardeners can apply it at the right place at the right time in order to control this disease she says. Now on the third year of this research project Boyetchko and her team are working on how to mass-produce the bacteria. She says it will still be a few years before the product could be commercially available and they are currently looking for investors and industry input. Compost Study Underway in New Brunswick Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has joined forces with McCain Foods Canada and New Brunswicks potato growers in a major project to improve potato yields in the province by improving soil health. According to AAFC potato yields in New Brunswick have been lagging behind other North American potato production regions and its believed one of the culprits may be declining soil health. AAFC and industry are collaborating in research INDUSTRYNEWS Cover your crops with the Right Recipe for Success - RAMPART FUNGICIDE. New registration in Canada. www.uap.ca to increase potato productivity in the province and across Atlantic Canada by improving soil health through compost application. Compost returns stable organic matter to the soil and can help retain nutrients improve soil structure and water holding capacity and reduce soil compaction caused by farm equipment. Because of the inherent variability of compost products researchers aim to identify which kinds provide the most beneficial effects on processing potato production. Bacterial DNA Found in Cultivated Sweet Potato A team of researchers with members from Belgium China Peru and the U.S. has found evidence of bacterial DNA in the genome of the cultivated sweet potato. In a paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences the team describes its findings as an example of a naturally occurring transgenic food crop. Sweet potatoes have been growing wild in South America for thousands of years over time they were cultivated by people and have since become a popular food in many parts of the world. It now appears that a type of bacteria similar to the kind used by modern scientists to create many GMOs found its way naturally to cultivated sweet potatoes many generations ago and modified its DNA. Promoting Sustainable Potato Cultivation in Europe Bayer CropScience and Farm Frites recently started the Food Chain Partnership initiative designed to implement sustainable agricultural practices in potato cultivation in the Netherlands and Belgium. The goal of the partnership is to support a bottom-up approach with potato farmers addressing value-adding sustainable potato-growing practices at individual farm levels. This is intended to minimize the environmental impacts of agricultural production in order to keep potato farming attractive in the long term. Potato is a valuable crop for farmers in Western Europe and a key raw material for the potato processing industry for example for flakes mash and french fries says Leon Boer director of potato procurement of Farm Frites. Therefore the implementation of sustainable practices is a must for local farmers. With this collaboration we want to enable our contract growers to consistently meet our high quality standards and stay competitive. Submissions to Industry News are welcome. Email Spud Smart editor Mark Halsall at mhalsallissuesink.com. Your money. Your choice. Adama Canada formerly MANA Canada is dedicated to providing choice and simplicity in crop protection allowing farmers to manage their farms instead of managing complicated time- consuming rebate programs or bundling. We partner with the highest quality local retails to bring farmers like you the advice service and quality products you need to protect your crops. No bundles. No rebates. No waiting. No kidding. Simply. Grow. Together. Toll-free 1.855.264.6262 WEBSITE adama.comcanada Alias Arrow Pyrinex and Silencer are registered trademarks of ADAMA Agricultural Solutions Canada Ltd. 924P 01.15 Arrow Alias Pyrinex Silencer Weed Control Insect Control For a complete list of Adama crop protection products visit adama.comcanada. Protect your potato crops with GROWERSPOTLIGHT SPUDSMART.COM SUMMER 201556 Hilltop Produce Ltd. Young Farmers Accentuate the Positive PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND potato growers Andrew and Heidi Lawless clearly know a thing or two about farming. They along with Myron and Jill Krahn of Carman Man. were named Canadas Outstanding Young Farmers for 2014 an award handed out annually to recognize farmers and farm couples who exemplify excellence in their profession. Spud Smart caught up with Andrew Lawless on the morning of June 11 when he was planting his last 30 acres of potatoes. We are about a week behind our normal schedule he said. Its been a late spring but all is going well. Andrew and Heidi own and operate Hilltop Produce Ltd. in partnership with Andrews parents Neville and Bertha Lawless. Hes a third-generation farmer whos been farming alongside his dad since he was five years old. Its what Ive always wanted to do and Im very fortunate to be able to do it Andrew said. I love farming and my dad still works with me every day. If it werent for my parents I probably wouldnt be farming today. I have a great deal of respect for my parents Andrew added. Thats one thing he has learned through the years if you respect your elders doors will open for you. The rich red soils of the Island allow Lawless and three other growers who formed a joint venture called RL Farms to farm more than 1000 acres of potatoes each year. All of the potatoes produced Russet Burbank Ranger Russet Shepody and Prospect are for the processing market and are grown in a three-year rotation with wheat or barley under-seeded with hay. Andrew explained that through the joint venture he and his partners are able to capitalize on efficiencies by sharing all direct costs. This includes land base storage labour equipment and maintenance. Each person has a percentage that they put in and thats essentially what they get out Andrew said. Its not an arrangement that would work for everyone but it works for us. Hes a firm believer its important to keep positive no matter what challenges you encounter. With farming and its many variables and uncertainties it is easy to get stressed-out. Dont get worked up over the little things said Andrew who is out the door at 5 a.m. and doesnt get back home until late in the evening during busy times. Like many other farmers Andrew sees the continuous tightening of margins. Whatever we can do to decrease our costs and remain sustainable is a huge bonus he said adding he isnt afraid of change and challenges himself to think outside of the box. We are always willing to try and adopt new practices Andrew said noting that they try to plant the best seed at the best planting time and even conduct trials to test performance. Andrew is always looking for for opportunities to di- versify which helps protect him against reduced margins and the volatility associated with farming. For example Andrew along with two other farmers identified the need for a new potato washing facility in the area and together they created RWL Holdings. It operates a facility that is equipped with new optical-sensing sorting equipment and provides a high-speed high-volume service that will help to provide processors with a more consistent product. Andrew explained that even though this was a significant capital investment up-front it should provide stability and added income long-term. If we ever had a natural disaster or a year of heavy blight this would be in place to maximize our return and that of other Island growers instead of being forced to dispose of the crop he said. BY JULIE DEERING Prince Edward Island potato farmers Andrew and Heidi Lawless pictured here with their kids left to right Max Maeve and Vance were named Canadas Outstanding Young Farmers for 2014. PHOTO ANDREW LAWLESS. TIPS FOR SUCCESS Prince Edward Island potato farmer Andrew Lawless shared a few words of wisdom for other young farmers who are looking to succeed 1. Be willing to think outside of the box. 2. Be positive. 3. Dont let the little things bother you. 4. Be willing to take the time to build and maintain relationships. 5. Never be afraid to seek out and take advice. 6. Make sure you enjoy what you do life is too short not to. MAKE TIME FOR WHAT REALLY MATTERS. CORAGEN CAN HELP. Youre proud of your potato crop. Lets face it. No one ever looks back and wishes theyd spent more time controlling crop damaging yield robbing insects. We get that. DuPont Coragen is powered by Rynaxypyr a unique active ingredient and a novel mode-of-action that delivers extended residual control of European corn borer decreasing the number of applications needed in a season. And if your Colorado potato beetle seed treatmentcontrolbreakslateintheseasonCoragen canprovidetheaddedcontrolyouneedsoyouhavetime for more important things. For farmers who want more time and peace of mind Coragen is the answer. Questions Ask your retailer call 1-800-667-3925 or visit coragen.dupont.ca DuPont Coragen Insecticide As with all crop protection products read and follow label instructions carefully. The DuPont Oval Logo DuPont The miracles of science and Coragen are trademarks or registered trademarks of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company. E. I. du Pont Canada Company is a licensee. Member of CropLife Canada. Copyright 2015 E. I. du Pont Canada Company. All rights reserved.