b"CANADIAN POTATO COUNCILResearch Grand SlamAs the Canadian Potato Councils latest round of research projects wraps up, those involved have deemed their projects a success. BY: ASHLEY ROBINSONFIVE YEARS AGO, Canadian potato researchers had a lot of unanswered questions. They were just embarking on a five-year research funding cycle through the Canadian Potato Council (CPC) as part of the Canadian Horticultural Councils AgriScience Cluster for Horticulture projects funded by the Canadian Agricultural Partnership. Eight projects covering wide swatches of the countrys potato industry were chosen to be studied. Some were continuations from previous research clusters while others were brand new endeavours. Despite challenges posed by the pandemic, researchers were able to accomplish almost all their goals.Many of these projects had outcomes that not only have the potential to influence decisions that growers are making on their farms across Canada, (but) some of these things are already being put into practice, Tracy Shinners-Carnelley, chair of the CPC research working group, says in a phone interview. Adult wireworms are called click beetles.PHOTO: CHRISTINE NOROHNAFor Shinners-Carnelley, she views the research as being practical for growersinformation theyre able to use day to day on theirinformation gathered for dissemination, the lead researchers on the farms. A lot of research is completed at upstream levels where theprojects sat down with Spud Smart to share how their findings. information may help with long-term work, but it isnt always able to be used by growers right away. Wireworm Worries a Thing of the PastThe whole point of these clusters is really to build thatAfter three rounds of cluster research projects on wireworms, collaborative effort between the research community and theAgriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) Researcher Christine industry. And I think these projects, whether it be throughNoronha is deeming her teams work a success. wireworm, or through the scab work, have accomplished that, sheOver a decade ago when Noronha first started researching the explains. There's many of these examples from these projects, andpest, there wasnt much known about wireworms. Now growers have the development of this collaboration, where it really is delivering onaccess to an insecticide for wireworm control, Cimegra from BASF, the investment that potato growers from across Canada have madein which Noronhas team participated in research trials to obtain into cluster research. registration. Growers also have the open to choose rotational crops The cluster officially started on April 1, 2018, wrapping as oflike buckwheat, and can access valuable information regarding the March 31, 2023. While final reports are still being compiled andprimary wireworm species found in Canada.Christine Norohnas research group has found that using buckwheat as a rotation crop can help reduce wireworm damage. PHOTO: CHRISTINE NOROHNA28SPUDSMART.COMSummer 2023"