Tuber Talk

The past couple of years have been good for potato growers, so how is 2023 shaping up?

In this episode of Tuber Talk, Potatoes in Canada editor Derek Clouthier chats with Victoria Stamper, general manager of the United Potato Growers of Canada, about her insights into the market and demand for the coming growing season, and some thoughts on what she sees for growers across the country in 2023.

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Whether it’s a pest that chews or sucks, controlling insects in your field is a necessary part of life for potato growers.

In this episode of Tuber Talk, Potatoes in Canada editor Derek Clouthier talks with Andrew Thompson, area business manager for ADAMA Canada. Thompson helps listeners get a better understanding of the various types of insecticides, how they work, what they are intended to do, what factors can contribute to them not working the way one would expect and what type of products are tailored to a growers’ specific needs.

A new project between the Potato Growers of Alberta and Results Driven Agriculture Research is working to establish a platform for rapid diagnosis for current and potential potato diseases. In this episode of Tuber Talk, guest host Bree Rody chats with Dr. Stacy Bajema, seed co-ordinator for the Potato Growers of Alberta, about the project's goals and the impact the platform will have on Alberta's potato industry.

Read more about the project here.

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The music used in this episode is Vital Signs from Purple Planet Music.

Support for this series provided by Syngenta.

Prince Edward Island might be Canada's potato capital, but growers on the Island aren't exempt from soil health challenges. In this episode of Tuber Talk, guest host Bree Rody chats with Ryan Barrett, research co-ordinator for the P.E.I. Potato Board about the different projects underway at Living Labs Atlantic to help boost both soil health and potato yield and profitability, including cover crop usage before and after potatoes.

Learn more about Living Labs Atlantic here and follow Ryan Barrett on Twitter @RBarrettPEI.

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The music used in this episode is Vital Signs from Purple Planet Music.

Wireworms, the larvae of click beetles, are notoriously damaging to tubers. Found across Canada, the worms can survive in irregularly cold temperatures, making them an even more persistent problem. Now, AAFC research scientists have found a natural way to suppress wireworm populations more naturally: by incorporating buckwheat crops into rotation. Listen to Drs. Christine Noronha and Jason McCallum in this episode of Tuber Talk as they discuss what has been learned about buckwheat and how producers can take advantage.

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The music used in this episode is Vital Signs from Purple Planet Music.

In 2011, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) scientists were researching ways to control European corn borer populations. In an effort to target the pest at its source, they developed a piece of equipment dubbed the “potato vine crusher.” The equipment successfully reduced ECB populations in a field, but the pest's ability to fly between fields meant all farms in an area would have to employ the technology for there to be a beneficial effect overall. The crusher went unused for a decade until one AAFC research scientist considered another use for it.

In this episode of Tuber Talk, AAFC weed scientist Andrew McKenzie-Gopsill discusses the history of the potato vine crusher, how he found out about it, and the trials he's running to determine the crusher's potential for weed seed management. 

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The music used in this episode is Vital Signs from Purple Planet Music.

Sponsored by Syngenta.

Black dot has been called the silent, early yield robber and for good reason - the disease can often be mistaken for other diseases, and early infections can carry through the season. In this episode of Tuber Talk, Julie Pasche, associate professor and Neil C. Gudmestad endowed chair at North Dakota State University breaks down the pathology of black dot, and provides management advice for growers for the coming season.

For more information, watch Julie's presentation from the Ontario Potato Conference.

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The music used in this episode is Vital Signs from Purple Planet Music.

Colorado potato beetle (CPB) is a devastating invasive insect pest of potato and other Solanaceae crops and can be found in potato-growing regions across Canada. The beetle is also capable of developing resistance to insecticides rapidly, making it more of a question of "when" specific resistances will develop, rather than "if." A five-year study conducted by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) researchers is examining CPB from a regional perspective, looking into whether there are genetic differences in CPB depending on region and if this affects insecticide resistance.

In this episode, Tuber Talk host Dylan Sjolie speaks to Dr. Chandra Moffat, a research scientist in entomology and biological control with AAFC's Summerland Research and Development Centre in British Columbia, and Dr. Ian Scott, a research scientist with AAFC's London Research and Development Centre in Ontario. They discuss their joint research project focused on the development of regional management strategies and decision making tools for control of CPB, now in its final year.

 Show notes:

• For more information on the project, contact Ian Scott or Chandra Moffat.

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The music used in this episode is Vital Signs from Purple Planet Music.

What should have been a banner year for Prince Edward Island potato growers quickly turned into a nightmare when potato wart was detected in two fields in October 2021. Since then, P.E.I. potato producers have faced devastating losses, most recently with hundreds of millions of pounds of potatoes being destroyed in the province due to export restrictions.

In this episode, Tuber Talk host Dylan Sjolle speaks to Ryan Barrett, research agronomy specialist for the Prince Edward Island Potato Board, who provides an update on the ongoing challenges and a glimpse at what's next for Island potato growers.

Editor's note: This episode was recorded in early February, prior to the announcement that the United States has agreed to resume imports of P.E.I. table stock potatoes into the territory of Puerto Rico, which came into effect on Feb. 9, 2022.

Show notes:

• Reach out to Ryan via Twitter @RBarrettPEI
• The P.E.I. Potato Board is also on Twitter @PEIPotatoes
• P.E.I. Potato Agronomy

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The music used in this episode is Vital Signs from Purple Planet Music.

Sponsored by Syngenta.

Potatoes in Canada last spoke to Vanessa Currie, a potato breeding technician at the University of Guelph, at the 2021 Canadian Potato Summit, where she shared exciting new varieties being examined. In this episode of Tuber Talk, our guest host Dylan Sjolle catches up with Vanessa to recap the 2021 growing season and hear what's new for the program in 2022.

To receive a copy of the breeding report via email, contact Vanessa at [email protected], or visit her on Twitter for updates @GuelphPotato. Sign up for the free Canadian Potato Summit to learn more insights from potato industry experts.

Never miss an episode by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn or wherever you listen to podcasts.

The music used in this episode is Vital Signs from Purple Planet Music.

Sponsored by Syngenta.