Powdery scab, caused by Spongospora subterranea, thrives in cool, moist conditions and can significantly impact potato crops by forming lesions on tubers and galls on roots.
Potatoes
Powdery scab a puzzling potato problem
Biosecurity, such as avoiding the use of manure from livestock that ate infected potatoes, is a must
Potatoes Prairie-wide
Practical Research: How Prairie researchers uncovered a serious potato disease’s hiding place
As a consequence of cleaning up potato diseases, the most recent yields in Prairie potatoes, as of 2024, are 20 tons per acre for Alberta and 18 for Manitoba.
Potato growers’ feedback wanted in final response plan consultation
Potato growers are once again asked to give their feedback on a national potato wart response plan as the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) launches a final round of public consultations.
Alberta harvest wraps up
Harvest operations in Alberta are virtually complete for 2024, the province’s crop report said. Combining advanced three points to 99 per cent finished as of Oct. 22 as well as being three points above the five-year average.
Potato wart survey comes back clean
Fungus-fraught P.E.I also gets clean bill of health
Fungus-fraught P.E.I also gets clean bill of health
Let’s meet the potato family
Part 4 of a series on Prairie farm gardens
The potato is a member of the solanum or Solanaceae family, made up of thousands of wild and cultivated species that range from deadly nightshade to tomatoes. Commonly cultivated in farm gardens are potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and tomatillos. Members of this family also include petunias, lobelias, tobacco and common weeds such as black nightshade […] Read more
Canadian potato output rises in 2023
Alberta vaults to first place in provincial potato production
At 32.063 million hundredweight of potatoes this year, Alberta vaulted from third to first place as it improved on the previous year’s crop of 26.813 million. Manitoba moved into second spot from third with its harvest of 29.760 million cwt. following last year’s 26.139 million. Prince Edward Island saw its output reduced in 2023 to 25.813 million cwt. from 27.789 million. In 2023, the trio combined for 68 per cent of Canada’s total potato harvest of 128,801 million cwt.
McCain launches new predictive ag firm
McCain Foods has formed a new digital agriculture subsidiary, Presia Ag Insights. The move builds on McCain’s 2022 acquisition of a “predictive crop portfolio” from Resson, a Fredricton, New Brunswick firm that uses artificial intelligence to advise farmers on crop management decisions. McCain, in a media release, said the Presia launch is “the result of […] Read more
P.E.I. potato growers, CFIA to draft plan for ‘pest-free places’
Plan would support movement of seed potatoes, feds say
A system of “pest-free places of production” (PFPP) is now on the drawing board for Prince Edward Island’s potato sector, following a meeting between federal and industry officials. Federal Agriculture Minister and P.E.I. MP Lawrence MacAulay on Friday reported meeting with staff and representatives of the P.E.I. Potato Board, to discuss next steps in the […] Read more
Alberta potatoes chip in $2.9 billion for Canadian economy
New report verifies what many in industry suspected
Alberta’s potato industry is making a big impact — not just on that province but the entire country. A new report — dubbed a “landmark study” by the Potato Growers of Alberta — revealed the sector drove a total contribution of $2.87 billion to Canada’s economy in 2022. It also notes the nationwide creation of […] Read more
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