Potato growers learn about managing pests and diseases at Potato Industry R&D Forum

1 July 2019

Project Code

PT17002

Australian potato growers were given the opportunity to learn about the latest research in managing key pests and diseases at last week’s Potato Industry Research and Development Forum in Melbourne.

The Forum, held by RMCG in conjunction with Hort Connections 2019, was part of a strategic levy investment using the Hort Innovation Fresh Potato and Potato Processing Funds. It gave growers the chance to hear from key industry members and researchers and ask any questions they may have had about the latest pest and disease research and innovations.

Speakers covered a range of topics, including Tomato-potato psyllid, soil health and the use of Integrated Pest Management in crops:

Topic	Speakers
Tomato-potato psyllid	Dr Paul Horne (IPM Technologies), Alan Nankivell and Callum Fletcher (AUSVEG), Darryl Smith (grower) and Chris Claridge (Potatoes NZ), Duncan McLeod (Seed & Field)
Managing disease risk	Mike Rettke (SARDI), Frank Mulcahy (Simplot)
Soil health	Dr Chad Hutchinson (University of Florida), Carl Larsen (RMCG)
Soilborne disease	Prof Richard Falloon (Plant and Food Research NZ), Prof Calum Wilson (TIA), Dr Tonya Wiechel (Agriculture Victoria), Mee-Yung Shin (researcher)
Integrated pest management (IPM)	Dr Paul Horne (IPM Technologies), David Oddie (agronomist)
The future	Kristen Stirling and Dr Doris Blaesing (RMCG)

Attendees were also able to network with other industry members and speakers following the event, during an industry networking session. The forum is part of Program approach for pest and disease potato industry investments (PT17002), a project providing support in coordinating the industry’s R&D investments in pest and disease management, developing an integrated program approach.

PT17002 Program approach for pest and disease potato industry investments has been funded by Hort Innovation using the fresh potato and potato processing research and development levies and contributions from the Australian Government.