News on Research from the Netherlands

An international team of researchers has struck an important blow in the ongoing evolutionary arms race with the notorious potato disease late blight (Phytophthora infestans).

Until December 31, 2020 the North-western European Potato Growers (NEPG) was a 5 country organization, but the organization started 2021 without the British AHDB. Also, Victor Pfaff stepped down as NEPG secretary and is replaced by Daniel Ryckmans.

This year HZPC expects to own the first prototype of a hybrid potato variety. These potatoes will be sown instead of planted, and that offers a perspective for the food security of areas that are hard to reach.

Public appreciation of the food and agriculture sector is greater in 2020 than it was two years ago. This applies to all sub-sectors, apart from pig farming, which is held in the same esteem as it was in 2018.

Only last week the organisers of PotatoEurope 2021 have opened the pre-registration for former participants of
PotatoEurope and already now a great number of participants have signed up for the upcoming edition.

El 1 de enero de 2020 se prohibió el uso de CIPC en la Unión Europea. La fecha límite para, entre otras cosas, el almacenamiento de patatas con CIPC se ha fijado en el 8 de octubre de 2020.

On 17 Augustus 2020, potato breeder, Meijer Potato, has presented its new corporate identity and company story. Meijer Potato's new corporate identity will be visible on all communication materials and locations.

Wageningen University & Research and DLG Benelux have signed a contract for hosting PotatoEurope 2021 at the location of Wageningen Plant Research in Lelystad, The Netherlands.

De eerste editie van het Jonge Boeren Programma tijdens Aardappeldemodag 2018 was een groot succes. Twee jaar na deze speciaal voor jonge boeren georganiseerde bijeenkomst komt er nu een virtueel vervolg.

Increasing food security in areas that are hard to access. This is one of the ideas behind an important potato innovation by HZPC: hybrid potato breeding.

HZPC is employing the services of a specialized robot in its fight against potato diseases and viruses within its breeding program.

Wageningen University & Research (WUR) is to study wild potato varieties for resistance to a wide range of potato-diseases and plagues. This broad approach should yield breeding material that can be used to develop disease-free potato varieties.

Solynta today announced the grant of U.S. Patent Serial No. 10,524,436 entitled ‘Hybrid Potato Breeding’. The patent claims Solynta’s methods of producing potato inbreds and hybrids that are propagated from true seed.

Jeroen Kuin, Agroplant, Medemblik: 'No customer wants to depend on only one or two varieties for processing.'

Willem in 't Anker, C. Meijer BV, Rilland: 'There's a constant need for new potato varieties, also for French fries.'

Tigran Richter, Norika/Binst, Sanitz (D): 'For every interesting potato variety that performs better than what we already have, there's a chance in the market.'

Rindert Dankert, Breeding Company Kooi, Leeuwarden: 'In order to increase a possible success, we focus mainly on the early segment.'

Harry van de Vijver, Germicopa, Quimper (F): 'Give us yellow-fleshed French-fry varieties with broad nematode resistance.'