Canadian and U.S. food inspectors have agreed on what they mean by a “field” in any restrictions they place on potato trade on account of potato cyst nematodes. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) on Tuesday announced new revisions to their Guidelines on Surveillance and Phytosanitary […] Read more
Potato ‘fields’ clarified for cross-border trade
Late blight risk on potatoes and tomatoes again this year
The disease can be carried over in infected material
Reading Time: < 1 minute Over the last few growing seasons, growers have seen signs of late blight, a serious disease that mainly affects potatoes and tomatoes. This disease is caused by an aggressive fungus that develops rapidly under wet/moist environmental conditions. Wet conditions, combined with the presence of the pathogen, has resulted in continuing outbreaks of late blight in […] Read more
USDA clears GMO potato with lower cancer risk
CORRECTED, Nov. 10, 2014 — Washington | Reuters — The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Friday approved the first genetically modified potato for commercial planting in the United States in more than a decade, a move likely to draw the ire of groups opposed to artificial manipulation of foods. The so-called Innate potato, developed by the […] Read more
Alberta potato growers fearful of future
So far, high quality along with a strong reputation for hardy and virus-free seed stock has kept potato acreage steady in Alberta
Reading Time: 2 minutes The humble potato is suffering a very bad rap of late — and that has Alberta growers worried. Although full of vitamins, nutrients and fibre, the longtime staple has become vilified in the last decade and grouped with sugar and white flour as an obesity-causing ‘white food.’ And changing demographics and tastes has more North […] Read more
Late blight confirmed in Alberta
Specific steps needed to prevent carryover of disease to future crops
Reading Time: 3 minutes Late blight is one of the most serious diseases of potatoes and tomatoes worldwide, resulting in significant yield and quality losses annually. In general, in Alberta, late blight occurs infrequently, but can have devastating impacts in the years when it reaches epidemic levels. “In the summer of 2013, late blight was confirmed in parts of […] Read more
Late blight a concern again this year
There were multiple outbreaks of aggressive and destructive pathogen in fields and market gardens last year
Reading Time: 2 minutes Over the last few years, there has been a great deal of concern in Alberta surrounding late blight, a serious disease that affects mainly potatoes and tomatoes. This year appears to be no different. “This disease is caused by a fungal pathogen called Phytophthora infestans,” said Robert Spencer, commercial horticulture specialist at the Alberta Ag-Info […] Read more
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