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Browsing articles by Lukie Pieterse

4R Nutrient Stewardship

By on July 20, 2015

4R nutrient stewardship represents an innovative approach to nutrient best management practices. Proponents of applying this concept to potato production believe that the principles of this approach provide a sound framework for growers to achieve cropping system goals, such as increased production, increased farmer profitability, enhanced environmental protection and improved sustainability. In essence, 4R nutrient stewardship implies that growers put the following best management practices in place in terms of the nutrient…

Crop Rotations

By on March 25, 2015

The effect of sensible crop rotation on pest and pathogen populations in potato crops is coming under increasing scrutiny these days, and is a matter that most commercial farmers in Canada carefully consider when planning for the next cropping season. In fact, many growers regard crop rotation as a primary cornerstone of their sustainability strategies. In addition, studies in Canada, the United States and several European countries consistently confirm the importance of…

New Offerings

By on March 24, 2015

Officials with Agriculture and Agri-food Canada’s potato breeding program held their annual potato accelerated release open house at the Potato Research Centre (PRC) in Fredericton, N.B. on Feb. 11. As was the case since 2013, the event was held concurrently at the Fredericton facility and at the Lethbridge Research Centre in Alberta, with a video link providing access to presentations by invited speakers. Benoit Bizimungu, senior potato breeder and national study leader,…

Tuber Talk

Potato Wart

By on February 3, 2015

Most commercial potato growers in Canada know that if potato wart is detected in a field where potatoes are grown, the economic consequences can be quite serious. Some experts regard potato wart as the most important worldwide quarantine pathogen of potato. Potato wart also goes by a number of other names, such as black wart of potato, cauliflower disease, potato tumor, potato cancer, potato canker and warty disease. It’s believed the disease…

Potato Tampering

By on February 2, 2015

Food safety as a matter of concern for the potato industry came into the spotlight last fall as a result of a potato tampering case in Prince Edward Island. On Oct. 7, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency advised consumers of a possible food-tampering situation involving potatoes harvested and packed by Linkletter Farms Ltd. of Summerside, P.E.I. Following the announcement, Linkletter Farms voluntarily withdrew some fresh potato products following a consumer complaint that…

Variable Rate Irrigation

By on October 28, 2014

In recent years, the concept known as variable rate irrigation or VRI has become a catchphrase among irrigation specialists and growers alike. Some would even describe it as precision agriculture applied to irrigation. In essence, VRI is the process of applying differing irrigation amounts to match crop water demands at a small scale within a particular field. Most irrigation equipment manufacturers in Canada nowadays offer systems that are or can be retrofitted…

Quebec Growers Renowned for Growing Yellow Potatoes

By on March 25, 2014

The potato growing operation Maxi-Sol Inc. is located in Saint-Paul de Joliette, Que., a 45-minute drive northeast of Montreal. Founded in February 2009, the company is co-owned and managed by Ninon Perreault and Francis Desrochers. “Maxi-Sol specializes in the production of table market potatoes,” says Desrochers, who is also the vice president of La Federation de Pommes de Terre du Quebec, the potato growers’ association in that province. “We cultivate a total…

Tuber Talk

Boosting Fertility Through Testing

By on March 25, 2014

New advances in tissue analysis of potato crops could give growers an early warning of nutrient deficits that could be impinging on yield potential — as well as allow them sufficient time to take remedial action, according to Jez Wardman, a plant nutrition specialist at fertilizer company Yara UK. “While soil analysis can help identify potential issues and plan fertilizer programs,” he says, “petiole or leaf tissue analysis is a far more…

Tuber Talk

Promoting Potatoes in New Zealand and South Africa

By on January 29, 2014

In the past two issues of Spud Smart, we focused on potato promotion initiatives developed by industry groups in the United Kingdom and the United States. We conclude our international potato marketing series with a look at some of the inventive promotional activities and strategies rolled out by potato industry organizations in New Zealand and South Africa. New Zealand Potatoes New Zealand is the official organization representing the 200 potato growers in…

Tuber Talk

Promoting Potatoes — The American Way

By on October 30, 2013

The United States Potato Board was created in 1971, the result of a concerted effort by the American potato industry to spur consumer demand. Currently, the USPB represents more than 2,500 potato growers and handlers in the United States, and nearly 100 members from across the country serve on the board. The initial focus of the organization was to overcome negative public perceptions about the food value of potatoes, while subsequent strategies…

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