b'CANADIAN POTATO COUNCILBuilding a National NetworkCanPEDNet is trying to solve problems with Canadian potato production by reducing PED severity and increasing yields.BY: ASHLEY ROBINSONWWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=Y6J3H7EIAZYTHE CANADIAN POTATO industry has grown with moreCanPEDNet. CanPEDNet was started in the fall of 2019 and has processing facilities built across the country in the past decade.focused on creating a national network of researchers who are And while it has been great news for growers, it has meantcollaborating on PED management in Canada.potato production has had to increase nationally also. The project was originally started by Bernie Zebarth. He At the same time, low potato yields were reported in thewanted to create a team to boost the understanding and research Maritimes. The combination of the two had the potato industryof PED in Canada and recruited Tenuta to work with him. The looking for ways to reduce any production limits. This includedtwo devised a project proposal as part of the Canadian Potato tackling potato early dying (PED) which had been weighing onCouncil with the Canadian Horticultural Council cluster projects yields for years. funded by the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP). Just We were trying to alleviate any constraints on productionas they were approved for funding Zebarth retired and his with potato early dying being one of them. The goal of thiscolleague Dahu Chen, a research scientist with Agirculture and network is to reduce the severity of potato early dying in allAgri-Food Canada (AAFC) in Fredericton, N.B., stepped up to the major potato production areas of Canada, providing potatoplate and became the other co-lead on the project.growers with knowledge, tools, technologies to manage PEDThe team is led by Tenuta and Chen and is made up of and increase potato productivity and profitability, Mario Tenutaresearchers across the country in Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, explains during a presentation at the Canadian Spud Congress onQuebec, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. Theres March 22. support from various grower groups and companies in the Tenuta is the NSERC/WGRF/Fertilizer Canada Industrialpotato industry also. Research chair in 4R Nutrient Stewardship and a professor of applied soil ecology at the University of Manitoba. Hes also theWhat is PED?co-lead of the Canadian Potato Early Dying Network, aka thePED is a disease complex thats mainly caused by Verticillium 18SPUDSMART.COM Spring 2022'