Potato production

Project managers: Jannie Hagman, Department of Crop Production Ecology, SLU and Björn Andersson, Department of Forest Mycology and Pathology, SLU

Organic growing of potatoes is very difficult and the acreage of organically grown potatoes has decreased during the last two years. The biggest problem is Phytophthora infestans (potato leaf blight), which causes the crop foliage to wilt and thus stops tuber growth. There are no really effective methods for protecting the potato crop against Phytophthora infestans allowed in organic potato farming in Sweden. The best methods to achieve a reasonable yield are use of varieties tolerant or resistant to Phytophtophora infestans and actions to give the crop a quick and early start, for example presprouting.

• The aim of this project is to investigate new presprouting techniques that can shorten the time span between planting and emergence to achieve earlier tuber development. The methods promote the development of roots on the seed tubers.