Potato

Potatoes are the most important horticultural crop in Canada, with farm cash receipts reaching $895 432 in 2006 ( Statistics Canada 2007). Potatoes are grown on 160 542 hectares (396 711 acres) in Canada, with all provinces contributing to acreage. Prince Edward Island is the leading potato producer with 26% of national production, followed by Manitoba at 20% and New Brunswick at 15% and Alberta at 15% and 16%. Total national production stands at 5 024 185 tonnes (110 763 183 cwt), with provincial harvests ranging from 1 290 030 tonnes (28 440 000) in Prince Edward Island to 7303 tonnes (161 002 cwts) in Newfoundland ( Statistics Canada). Over 50% of potatoes grown in Canada are processed, mainly into french fries.

On-Going Potato Strategy

Health Canada (HC) and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's (AAFC) Pesticide Risk Reduction Program identified potatoes as a priority crop. General potato production information and issues along with pest issues are documented in the Crop Profile for Potato in Canada. A potato issues document, extracted from the crop profile, was used as a discussion tool in potato stakeholder meetings and consultations to help identify the top insect, disease and weed issues. General issues of concern and potential solutions to these issues are also discussed at these meetings. AAC's Pest Management Centre prepared both documents in consultation with the potato industry, the Pesticide Risk Reduction Program's Technical Working Group and the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA).

Potato Stakeholder Meetings and Consultations

Stakeholder meeting were held across Canada to prioritize issues, identify possible solutions and propose members for a National Steering Committee.

Western Stakeholder Meeting

A Western potato stakeholder meeting was held December 1, 2005, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, in conjunction with the Western Potato Council annual meeting. Participants included grower representatives from all four western provinces, provincial specialists, researchers and representatives from the pesticide industry.

Eastern Stakeholder Meeting

The Eastern stakeholder meeting was held February 8, 2006 in Grand Falls, New Brunswick, in conjunction with the New Brunswick Potato Conference and Trade Show. Representatives from all stakeholder groups involved in potato production in the Atlantic Provinces-New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island-Ontario and Quebec were invited.

Potato Steering Committee

The National Steering Committee is comprised of members of the Canadian Horticulture Council Potato Executive Committee and a representative from each province chosen at the eastern and western stakeholder meetings. The steering committee met face-to-face in March 2006 and in March 2007 in Ottawa, Ontario, and by teleconference in February and April 2006.

Initial meetings focussed on developing a reduced risk strategy for potato based on the information and priorities from the stakeholder meetings. Subsequent meetings focussed on providing updates and discussing the current status of the strategy. As a result, the Steering Committee identified wireworms, bacterial ring rot prevention and silver scurf control as their top priority issues. A working group was set up to develop a strategy to deal with each priority issue.

Potato Working Groups

• Wireworm
  Meetings: August 2006, December 2006
• Bacterial Ring Rot Prevention
  Meetings: September 2006, December 2006
• Silver Scurf Control
  Meetings: September 2006, January 2007
• Common Scab
  Meetings: October 2006, November 2006, March 2007

Research Funded Under the Pesticide Risk Reduction Program

The Pesticide Risk Reduction Program has funded several projects addressing the priorities the Potato Working Group established in consultation with the Pest Management Centre and the PMRA.

Projects Funded to Date

• Testing the efficacy of three insecticides to control European corn borer Ostrinia nubilalis in potatoes (Project Code: MU03-ENT6)
• Development of a forecasting method of spring populations of Colorado potato beetles for use in reduced input potato production decision making systems (Project Code: PRR03-060)
• Cloning and utilization of new naturally occurring late blight and Colorado potato resistance genes to reduce the use of pesticides in potatoes (Project Code: PRR03-140)
• To develop an accurate economic threshold and alternative non-chemical control techniques to manage European corn borer Ostrinia nubilalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) damage in potatoes (Project Code: PRR03-400)
• Molecular approach to insecticide resistance development and monitoring in potato insect pests (Project Code: PRR03-460)
• Reducing the impact of irrigated potato production on the risk of pesticide contamination of the Assiniboine Delta Aquifer (Project Code: PRR03-600)
• Potato virus Y (PVY O and PVY N:O) impact on potato cultivars and management through oil sprays (Project Code: BPI06-320)
• Pesticide resistance and alternative management of organisms causing potato pink rot and late blight (Project Code: MUR06-150)
• Development of novel and blended insecticide formulations for low risk management of wireworms in potatoes (Project Code: MUR06-310)
• Decision Support System for the control of the European Corn Borer in Prince Edward Island (Project Code: PRR06-270)
• The development and implementation of a late blight fungicide spray model for Canadian potato growers (Project Code: PRR06-360)
• Management of silver scurf and Fusarium dry rot of potatoes in storage using Bio-Save 10LP and Bio-Save 11LP (Pseudomonas syringae) (Project Code: BPI07-170)
• Post-harvest management of silver scurf and Fusarium dry rot of potatoes in storage with azoxystrobin and fludioxonil (Project Code: MUR07-010)
• Development of novel and blended formulations and application technologies for low risk management of wireworms in potatoes (Project Code: MUR07-040)
• Using crop rotation to control wireworms in agricultural fields (Project Code: PRR07-030)
• Blight Alert, A Simple Decision Support System for Prince Edward Island potato farmers (Project Code: PRR07-650)
• Screening trial for solutions to Verticillium wilt in potatoes (Project Code: SCR07-003)
• Raising awareness to pesticide risk reduction on the farm for the benefit of health and the environment (Project Code: PRR07-300)
• Development of Biopesticides for Management of Wireworms and Root Maggots in Potatoes and Canola (Project Code: MU03-270)
• Enhancing the efficacy of a natural mustard biopesticide (CA-1) against nematodes, wireworms and microbial pathogens of carrots and potatoes in NB and PEI (Project Code: BPI07-200)
• Formulation and efficacy of Metarhizium anisopliae for wireworm management in potato and corn (Project Code: BPI07-080)

For further updates, please visit Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.