b"INDUSTRY NEWS BUSINESS NEWS the data in order to adjust how much water is added through Three Potato Growers Awarded Leases in Newfoundlandirrigation, the release notes.and Labrador This technique gives us a map of the moisture in an entire Three growers have been awarded leases for land inarea, instead of just a point observation you get when you Newfoundland and Labrador for large-scale potato production,install something in the ground, explains Appels in the release. the provincial government says in a news release. Ideally, in the future, the sensors would be used to estimate The successful applicants were M&M Farming Company Ltd.soil moisture conditions just ahead of the sprinklers. Then after who received land at Junction Brook, Adam Anderson and Lukasdoing some calculations the amount of water the sprinklers put Doman at Dead Water Brook, and Gordon Peddle at the formeron would be adjusted while the pivot is moving.seed potato farm at Glenwood. Appels has worked with Skaha Remote Sensing, the British Potatoes are a tried-and-true staple here in NewfoundlandColumbia manufacturer of this technology, before learning it can and Labrador. By preparing this farmland and making it availablemap moisture in the top 60 cm of the soil, the release says.to farmers, we expect they will more than double our provinces potato production, Derrick Bragg, provincial minister of fisheries, forestry and agriculture, says in the release.The lease announcements came following a request forAlberta Blackleg Research Receives Provincial Grantproposals the provincial government released in April. TheA researcher at the University of Lethbridge has received a three-government cleared approximately 700 acres of land nearyear grant from Alberta's Results Driven Agriculture Research Junction Brook, Dead Water Brook, and Glenwood, the release(RDAR) to look into management strategies for blackleg in notes. The government predicts the land has the potential topotatoes, the university says in a news release.yield more than 230 acres of potatoes annually on a three- Michele Konschuh, a research associate in the department year rotation. Once this land is in production and harvested,of biological sciences at the U of L is the lead on the project. Newfoundland will achieve its goal to double food self- She is working with Larry Kawchuk and Jonathan Neilson from sufficiency to 20 per cent by 2022. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada on the project.The successful applicants were chosen based on the criteria ofBlackleg is a seed-borne disease which is caused by commercial viability, applicants need for additional land, degreePectobacterium and Dickeya bacteria. It causes blackening of to which the additional land will improve the viability of thethe potato plant and can reduce yields by 20 to 25 per cent, the farmland, management and use of the applicants existing landrelease notes.base, markets/quotas available to the farm, proximity of the landWe absolutely have blackleg, but blackleg is a lay persons to the applicants farm, and proposed management and use ofterm for the disease, explains Konschuh in the release. The one additional land we have in Alberta is caused by Pectobacterium species and its There was also preference given to proposals for potatofairly common in all potato-growing regions. At this time, we production and associated crops normally used in rotation withhave no Dickeya and we want to keep it that way.potato production, the release notes. There are no pesticides available for blackleg prevention, so seed growers rely on agronomic practices including cleaning and sanitizing equipment between seed lots, cleaning storage units and rotating crops, the release says. It can remain dormant in FUNDING NEWS potato tubers and if planting is done under cool, wet conditions Lethbridge College Receives Funds to Map Irrigationit will appear.Watering The researchers plan to use a multi-pronged approach which Irrigation researchers at Lethbridge College have receivedincludes an information campaign outlining best practices for funding to help producers adjust irrigation easier by gaining aseed growers and sharing findings from their research. They better understanding of how much moisture is available in soil,also plan to investigate the rapid diagnostic tools available the college says in a news release. on the market and potentially develop additional tools to Willemijn Appels, Lethbridge Colleges Mueller Applieddetect blackleg early, the release says. Such tools would allow Research Chair in Irrigation, has received more than $420,000producers to obtain a diagnosis when they see a suspicious plant through Results Drive Agriculture Research (RDAR) for thein the field instead of having to wait for laboratory results.three-year project. The research will use microwave radiometerThey will investigate the potential of biocontrol agentstechnology to create maps of the water in the soil and translatebacteriophages and endophytes. Bacteriophages are viruses DISEASE CONTROL FROM TOP TO BOTTOMDouble Nickel works on both soil-borne & foliar diseases,forming a barrier to infection.Plus only 4 hour re-entry & Zero PHI for flexibility.44SPUDSMART.COM Summer 2021 WWW.UAP.CA"