Since 2013, Tasmanian seed potato grower Andrew Wilson has had confidence and peace of mind when managing existing crops and planning future growth thanks to the levy-funded PreDicta Pt service.

PreDicta Pt is is a DNA-based soil testing service that helps growers with paddock and disease-management planning. The testing identifies whether soil-borne pathogens pose a major risk to potato crops prior to planting, including an indication of the risk of powdery scab (Spongospora subterranea), black dot (Colletotrichum coccodes), and root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne fallax).

As a fourth-generation seed producer growing over 700 tonnes every year, Andrew says that PreDicta Pt is an invaluable tool for identifying potential diseases borne in soil, which in turn helps him make informed decisions about what varieties to grow, what crop protection products to buy and even whether or not he should change paddocks.

Andrew says that the PreDicta Pt testing has had a huge influence on the ability of Wilson Agricultural to pass stringent certification procedures in crop quality and has helped to ensure that the operation’s input costs aren’t returning low-quality crops.

For more detail about Andrew’s experience with PreDicta Pt and the benefits he’s seen from soil testing, check out the latest edition of Grower Success Stories – Real results from the potato R&D levy.

For more information about the PreDicta Pt soil testing technology, which is a strategic levy investment under the Hort Innovation Fresh Potato and Potato Processing funds, visit the SARDI website.

This post appeared in the AUSVEG Weekly Update published 20 February 2018.