You are in > Home > News & Events > News > Packing In The Potato Producers
RSS Feed
See Also
- Crops
- In Consulting
Featured Topics
- Follow us on Twitter
-
- Follow SAC News & Events
- Technical Notes
-
- Technical publications funded by the Scottish Government
Packing In The Potato Producers
SAC Annual Potato Conference audience (opens in new window)
Potato production is always a challenge but, as those attending SAC’s Annual Potato Conference near Perth were aware, just now growers are facing a whole series of new issues. Some 125 growers and industry representatives attended the one-day event held on the Racecourse at Scone on Thursday, 28th January. Organised for the practical producer, it has become a key date in the diary.
According to organiser Dr. Stuart Wale, SAC Principal Consultant and Potato Specialist growers accounted for over 40% of the audience, a significant mark of confidence in the event.
“This is the eleventh year of the event and numbers have increased steadily, as has the membership of SAC’s Association of Potato Growers,” he said. “We try hard to mix practical advice and information with grounded discussion about future challenges. The important thing is for the farmers to be able to ask questions and have their say.”
As usual, disease was very much to the fore with a workshop on the threat posed by Dickeya spp, another form of blackleg, which has already devastated Dutch crops and could do the same in Scotland. The increase in alternaria early blight and how to control it was also addressed. A special debate by Finlay Dale and Gavin Ramsay of SCRI highlighted the pros and cons of what can sometimes be a complicated strategy for GM.
Chitting, the pre-sprouting of potatoes prior to planting, is a strategy under review and the question of whether it should be revived was discussed. As was the place of composts in potato growing. One new development is the increasing use of ethylene to suppress sprouting. It is a technique there is still much to learn about as consultant Richard Barnes explained.
With the recruitment of affordable labour for jobs like potato grading becoming increasingly difficult, the potential of automated grading was considered by Lawrence Defty of Herbert Engineering. As sulphuric acid is no longer available for haulm destruction, there were presentations on alternative chemical and mechanical options.