b"production building full greenhouses and are still producing their own potato seed.This seems so simple and so amazingthey demystified a sophisticated technology. Its not only being done in Vietnam now but also in other countries, VanderZaag explained. They grow potatoes that are used either for seed or for table. Generally, up to seven generations depending on the variety and disease pressure, you can multiply it again and keep replenishing it providing the farmers with seed.Having witnessed it happen firsthand, VanderZaag believes theres opportunity for southern Ontario potato growers to do this too. The upcoming end to the SPUD Unit isnt the only reason VanderZaag is pushing for more local minituber production. With diseases such as potato virus Y, common scab and dickeya spp spreading through seed lots, more localTissue culture plants growing in a substrate for three weeks at the SPUD Unit in New Liskeard, seed production could reduce diseaseOnt.PHOTO: CANDY KEITHincidence and spread in southern Ontario.We have enough diversity of climates and places we could do more nuclear seed production in Ontario. Transportation costs, greenhouse gas emissions are all considerations. The cost of shipping seed from Alberta or Maine or wherever you come from to herethere are costs, he added.The vision for the future is for a new state of the art SPUD Unit to be built in New Liskeard where research work can be done for potatoes and other fruit and vegetable crops. But on top of that, VanderZaag said theyre looking to have growers start producing minitubers on their own farms. Currently the SPUD Unit only produces 10 per cent of the minitubers needed for seed production in Ontario.Ive already spoken to numerous growers here yesterday and today who have expressed interest. I'm also considering myself to build a greenhouse to do the minituber production from the plants that they could provide, he said. The current SPUD Unit lease is up in 2026 and until then there will be a lot of work done to ready the Ontario potato industry for the future of seed production in the province.Candy Keith holding tissue culture plants in pathogen free growth room at the SPUD Unit in New Liskeard, Ont.PHOTO: PETER VANDERZAAG38SPUDSMART.COM Spring 2023"