Parent Project for APRP2 program
The Australian Potato Research Program Phase 2 (APRP2) was the dedicated highly collaborative research and development program for the Australian processing potato industry. The five-year program commenced in 2009 and was funded by processing potato growers, manufacturers, international and national research organisations, with matched funds from the federal government. The principal focus of the program was the improvement of soil and plant health with a chief focus on major soil-borne potato diseases: common scab, powdery scab and Rhizoctonia, and a secondary focus on potato psyllid, bacterial wilt and Verticillium. A sixth project provided independent management of the program. An APRP2 produced survey conservatively estimated that Rhizoctonia, powdery scab and common scab annually cost the commercial processing potato industry $18.4M mainly as a result of discarded diseased tubers on farm, treatment costs or plant yield impacts. The APRP2 program has delivered new tools and know-how that will allow growers to reduce their exposure to these costs of disease. New information and tools have also been developed that will facilitate future research into complex diseases like powdery scab and to more quickly and cheaply evaluate potential treatment options. The following outlines the key work completed and the outcomes from each area of work: NEW SOIL TESTS TO DETERMINE THE RISK OF SOILBORNE DISEASES A DNA-based preplant soil testing service “Predicta Pt” was developed which provides growers with an estimate of the risk to a crop of powdery scab, black dot or root knot nematode. PreDicta Pt was developed over phases 1 and 2 of the APRP program. Led by the South Australian R&D Institute (SARDI), the project involved international collaboration and the service was launched in Australia in mid-2013. It is used by growers who access the service via accredited agronomists or service providers. With ongoing research the service will be expanded to include common scab, Verticillium, and potentially Rhizoctonia. DNA tests are currently provided for these pathogens/diseases but without risk ratings, as more work is needed to relate the DNA levels to actual risk of disease in key potato growing regions. There is also an opportunity to expand the service beyond the diseases researched in the APRP2 program. Capability to test pathogen levels in the peel of tubers has been developed for the same suite of pathogens for which soil DNA testing is available. The ability to quantify pathogen DNA levels, both in the soil and the peel of seed tubers, in combination with field validation of disease levels conducted in this project has increased our understanding of inoculum and disease risk for these pathogens. Access to this technology has opened up new opportunities at both an on-farm practical