New Indian potato variety suitable for French fries released by CPRI

During the last six months, the Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI), Shimla, has released a new potato variety Kufri Frysona. This is the first ever potato variety from India suitable for preparation of French fries. The trials conducted on the variety have shown its suitability for cultivation in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal. The variety produces long tubers having more than 20% dry matter, says S K Pandey, director, CPRI.
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Mozambique has potential to produce potato seed

Mozambique could put an end to the import of potato seed and produce it locally and needs only to make use of the agricultural and ecological conditions that some of its regions offer, said the director of the Mozambican Agrarian Research Institute (IIAM). According to Mozambican newspaper Notícias, Calisto Bias said that the mountainous region of Socera, in Manica province, is the one that currently has the best specific conditions and that, if it were used, the country would no longer need to import the seed.
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Plastic from GM potatoes underway in Germany

Field trials at the University of Rostock, Germany, are assessing genetically modified potatoes, which can be used to obtain a biodegradable plastic. Scientists at the Berlin-based university have developed a protein called cyanophycin, a biodegradable plastic, from potato tubers and leaves. According to researchers it is possible to produce biodegradable polymers (biopolymers) in plants which could act as renewable raw materials supplying substitutes for petroleum-based plastics that are not biodegradable. In addition, cyanophycin also contains the amino acid arginine, which improves animal health. Researchers are also investigating possible procedures for extracting the cyanophycin cheaply from the crop. Trials show that even simple procedures are capable of extracting up to 80 per cent pure cyanophycin as a white powder. It accounts for as much as 6 per cent of the dry weight of potatoes. (Source: Farmers Guardian)

‘Mission’ is perfectly possible

Ridding potato crops of weed competition has become a much more complicated task this year as fewer key active ingredients are now registered and others have been restricted in their dose rates.  A novel formulation of diquat, Mission will come to the rescue of many growers, who have been forced into looking for alternative practical solutions to their weed control problems in potatoes. “A number of potato herbicides, terbutryne, terbuthylazine and monolinuron for example, have all been lost through lack of support through re-registration.  Last year the registration of paraquat as in PDQ was annulled, which was a major blow for potato growers.  This year growers will have to contend with an imposed lower dose rate of linuron, down to just 600 gms a.i./hectare.  This is about half what we have been using in the past and really turns it into a mixer product only.  Because of these radical changes, growers are being forced to take a different tack and adopt new ways of controlling weeds in potatoes,” explains Dr. David Stormonth, Technical Manager, Interfarm (UK) Ltd. Containing 200 g/l of the total herbicide diquat, Mission is a useful alternative to paraquat and can be used alone or in mix with a residual for excellent broad-spectrum weed control.  Mission is recommended pre-emergence up to 10% emergence of earlies and 40% emergence in maincrop potatoes.  When mixed with a residual, its timing is pre-emergence. It is effective on broad-leaved weeds such as chickweed, cleavers, fat-hen, groundsel, knotgrass, speedwell and small nettle and has some activity on small meadow-grass.

 “Diquat acts very rapidly, which is an advantage when you are mixing with linuron as it limits any uptake of the herbicide and so limits any potential for crop damage which can occur with slower-acting herbicides.  Mission also has a flexible label allowing 2 l/ha plus non-ionic wetter for weed control, followed by a 4 l/ha for desiccation, not the case for all diquat products,” says Dr. Stormonth. Mission contains 200 g/litre paraquat as a water soluble concentrate formulation.  It is approved for weed control in potatoes and in edible and non-edible row crops such as sugar beet and ornamentals.  It is also approved as a desiccant for potatoes, oilseed rape, combining peas, red and white clover for seed, field beans, barley and oats for animal feed and linseed and for hop stripping.  It is not subject to LERAP B and packed in a 5 litre pack.  It is available via Interfarm distributors.

 For further comment and information, please contact Dr. David Stormonth, Technical Manager, Interfarm UK Ltd. on 01354 741414 or 07818 036506 (mobile) or via e-mail david.stormonth@interfarm.co.uk

ISU research examines how potatoes produce high-energy storage organs

Understanding how plants produce storage organs that humans use as food would be a valuable tool for science and for a hungry world. Iowa State University researcher David Hannapel, professor in horticulture, thinks he has found a key to figuring out the process. Hannapel studies potatoes and the process that leads to tuber formation. Hannapel has studied tuberization for more than 20 years and knows that understanding the process takes time.
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