Potatoes in Practice - Report from Paul Goddard
18.09.2024
Earlier this month, some of our colleagues headed to Dundee for the largest field-based potato event in the UK, Potatoes in Practice.
Hosted by The James Hutton Institute in partnership with SRUC (Scotland’s Rural College) and Agrii, it forms an epicentre of potato production and showcases a variety of demonstrations, cutting-edge research, trade exhibits and a wealth of knowledge from experts in the field.
According to Paul Goddard, Business Development Manager, the BASF stand was buzzing with activity all day – and that wasn’t just the farmers and agronomists talking about Allstar and Honesty. For the first time, the demonstration plots were surrounded by a nectar and pollinator mix, sparking some interesting conversations around the value of integrated pest management.
“We’d three plots,” explains Paul. “One treated with Allstar, another Honesty and an untreated, for comparison.”
First thing, Paul dug up some of the potatoes in the plot and did an unofficial ‘blind test’ - asking colleagues, Scott Milne, Matthias Baltrusch, Matt Goodson and Luke Pollard, to rank the three sets of potatoes for evenness and bloom.
“It was revealing,” says Paul. “The team were unanimous in ranking those potatoes treated with Honesty just ahead of Allstar and well above the untreated. It set the tone for conversations for the remainder of the day, with visitors agreeing with the teams’ conclusion.
“While it was a very rough and ready example, it neatly demonstrated the daughter tuber evenness and brighter skin finish seen from both products visual ,” he said.
Around the demo plots were information boards prompting discussion around and about the new blight fungicide Privest, the herbicide currently known as BAS 656 (dimethenamid-p) and a potentially new biological control for wireworm.
“After its first season on the market, it was great to speak with growers and agronomists about Privest. It’s been well received,” he recalls.
“Since its launch, the world has changed with regard to phytophthora control and increasing resistance to CAAs and OSBPIs. There seems to be a growing consensus that while EU_43_A1 has not yet been found in GB, it doesn’t mean it’s not here.
“While it’s presence so close to our shores is extremely concerning, it’s reassuring to think that the reason it’s not been found here, is because our blight programmes aren’t letting the new strain get a hold.
“EU_43_A1’s evolution and spread does reinforce the need and value of products like Privest that offer a clean break from traditional chemical groups in programmes, acting like a firebreak and giving a ‘reset’ to the chemistry,” he adds.
Paul noted that, with crops in the ground, potato growers are feeling a little more positive than they were a few months ago. “Although the wet conditions favour many diseases, potatoes like more rather than less rain, and there are some potentially good yielding crops around the country. It’s highly likely that this year’s crop will be short for what we need, but the silver lining will be its effect on prices,” he reflects.
