Research in P.E.I. shows the potato vine crusher, meant to crush insect pests clinging to vines at harvest, can also help reduce the viable weed seed banks in potato fields.
Tag Archives Potato
Vine crusher can smash weed seeds while squashing potato pests
AAFC’s field testing shows the crusher works on weed seeds under real-world potato harvest conditions
Canada’s potato crop edges up in 2022
Alberta up into top spot among potato-producing provinces
MarketsFarm — Statistics Canada (StatCan) issued its potato production report Thursday, which noted a 1.5 per cent increase in the country’s crop in 2022. Across Canada, nearly 122.9 million hundredweight (cwt) of potatoes were harvested last year, with an average national yield of 322.3 cwt/acre on 381,351 acres. Alberta rose from third into the top
Potato storage research to get boost
A federal-provincial investment goes to improve an existing storage facility at the University of Manitoba
Manitoba’s potato research landscape is getting a funding injection to improve infrastructure. The governments of Canada and Manitoba are investing $98,970 through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership to upgrade the University of Manitoba’s horticulture storage facility so it can conduct potato research. Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau and provincial Agriculture Minister Derek Johnson made the announcement
Rethinking phosphorus acid and phototoxicity
Most leaf damage is cosmetic, not yield-busting, according to recent trials
Potato growers who use foliar phosphorus acid to lower the risk of storage loss might not need to be so picky when it comes to application, according to recent research. Until now, the need to avoid phototoxicity during application has been emphasized. Producers were advised to apply early in the morning or risk chemical burn on potato leaves. However,
Old invention shows promise for weed control in potatoes
Originally designed for insect larvae, the potato vine crusher lowers germination rate of weed seeds
An invention originally designed to control European corn borer in potatoes has shown potential to reduce weed seeds during potato harvest. Dr. Andrew McKenzie-Gopsill, a research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, recently discussed the advantages of minimizing weed seeds during harvest to reduce pressure in potato crops. Then a colleague suggested an invention that
P.E.I. seed potato producers backed for ‘soil-building’
Province puts up $3 million for BMP program
In an attempt to support its potato farmers following trade suspensions with the U.S. over potato wart, the government of Prince Edward Island plans to put up $3 million in new funding for a program that will help farmers shift to “soil-building crops.” “In our meetings with industry and the P.E.I. Potato Board, the need
P.E.I. testing finds potato wart in another field
Testing stemmed from last October's detection
Soil samples taken on Prince Edward Island following detections of potato wart last fall have turned up another field with the fungus that causes the disease. The P.E.I. Potato Board on Tuesday said the field in question is near to, and is “directly associated” with, a field where the soil-borne disease was found in October.
Feds put up funds toward managing P.E.I. potato surplus
Ottawa budgets $28 million for distribution and disposal
Prince Edward Island potatoes locked out of the U.S. export market will go either to food banks or “environmentally-sound” disposal with new federal funding. Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau on Monday announced $28 million “to support the diversion of surplus potatoes, including help to redirect surplus potatoes to organizations addressing food insecurity and support for
End date sought for P.E.I. potato export ban
A ban from Washington would be harder to reverse, Liberals say
The federal Conservatives want to see a clearly defined end zone for the Canadian government’s suspension of Prince Edward Island potato exports to the U.S. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Monday announced the suspension of certification for P.E.I. potato exports to the U.S., — a move which, according to federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau,
P.E.I. potato exports to U.S. halted
Canada imposes new rules after potato wart findings
Canada has moved to halt exports of Prince Edward Island potatoes to the United States after findings of potato wart in the province last month — on what federal officials describe as the threat of a U.S. ban. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said Monday it has “temporarily suspended” exports of fresh potatoes from P.E.I.