The intensity and frequency of potato cultivation operations are damaging to soil health and do not fit with the current drive towards Regenerative Agriculture and Net Zero. Deep, destoned seedbeds are judged as a necessity within the industry to avoid tuber damage. Whilst reduced tillage technologies are enabling regenerative agriculture in cereal systems, this technology has not been developed for root crop production, such as potatoes. It will be even more important in the future to rotate root crops across more farms to relieve pest/disease pressures, particularly in the absence of nematicides. Yet landlords/growers are increasingly averse to including them given the overall policy direction of regenerative agriculture across the rotation. Therefore, it is essential for supply chain stability and exports (\>£89M/yr) that innovation is progressed rapidly to de-risk future potato production. With potato production employing 8x more labour than cereals, it is also crucial to the rural economy.
This project aims to quantify the effects on soil health and GHG emissions of current commercial best practice compared to novel, lower-intensity tillage machinery and sustainable cultivation techniques, in order to validate better production systems. The experienced consortium (comprising innovative SMEs, multi-national food companies and relevant academic expertise) wants to make one-pass, shallow-depth, regenerative potato cultivation possible and cost-effective. Once the environmental and business benefits have been proven by the project, this novel production system and cultivation machinery will transform the entire root vegetable sector and enable its effective transition towards a viable, Net Zero future. This will make the £824M potato sector resilient to rising costs and environmental change, ensuring its long-term success.
The project will co-develop new cultivation equipment and systems with farmers and the wider supply chain, focusing on reducing the depth, intensity and number of operations required. A range of implements capable of integrating reduced intensity, zoned soil cultivation with planting in soils which do not require destoning will also be developed. The effects of cover crops on soil health will be quantified, however it is beyond the scope of the project to examine any confounding effects on pathology/pests. Significant KE will be conducted in the final year of the project to ensure that the innovative developments can be adopted with confidence by the industry, including developing physical and digital guides for growers to use on farm, demonstrating the technology direct to the wider sector, and developing new teaching materials for the next generation of growers.
"Potatoes are the UK's largest vegetable category, producing 5-6 million tonnes p.a. valued at approximately £1.1bn. Production is relatively stable but prices and supply are volatile, with underlying issues including weather effects and related to these, disease. Bacterial pathogens of potatoes in particular are responsible for substantial losses through disease, leading to damage and failure to meet market specifications. Of particular importance to the UK and wider European industry, especially for high-grade seed production is blackleg (caused mainly by _Pectobacterium_ bacteria); responsible for \>£50M UK total losses p.a. and £750M worldwide. Blackleg is transmitted through the seed-multiplication system and is a major cause of seed downgrading and rejections (at an estimated cost of £100/tonne), together with downstream losses from tuber soft rot across the wider industry sectors.
This project builds on previous Innovate UK research in which combinations of novel, highly-specific and safe bacteriophage (naturally-occurring antimicrobials) have been formulated to target blackleg pathogens. These studies have concluded that the main commercial value of the technology is working with the high-grade seed industry, attempting to minimise seed contamination, safeguarding seed potato health for the industry downstream and adding a competitive advantage to the seed producers to compete for larger and new export markets, both within and outside of the EU (particularly post Brexit). Previous work also concluded that the assessment of blackleg controls should be a two-fold approach, recording both diseased plants and also, bacterial contamination of harvested tubers as a measure of their likelihood of transmitting disease to subsequent generations.
Key objectives of the proposed project are to follow successive generations of high-grade seed (from clean, field-generation 1 stocks), applying bacteriophage treatments both at planting (targeting seed contamination) and foliar applications throughout the growing season (targeting environmental disease sources). Also, work will be carried out to modify and optimise the initial bacteriophage mix to take into account new, emerging blackleg pathogens. The existing business-led consortium from project 101907 will be further strengthened by two new research partners (James Hutton Institute and University of Leicester), bringing innovative approaches to inform questions of both bacteriophage specificity and mode-of-action.
The project addresses a very timely and innovative opportunity given the impact of the disease on the industry. The Lead Applicant has already made significant progress in exploiting the technology to date and the proposed project would further de-risk the technology, allowing the consortium to maximise commercialisation opportunities post project as effectively as possible."
The potato industry has witnessed a 10-year long yield stagnation; coupled with increasingly stringent demands on potato quality, there is a compelling need for farmers to increase marketable yield. This project aims to develop an innovative spatial crop model & integrated decision support system for improved variable rate seed planting, fertiliser use & irrigation scheduling to increase productivity of the potato value chain. Converging the multi-disciplinary expertise of Soil Essentials (SE), Newcastle University (NU), Mylnefield Research Services (MRS), Grimme (GR), & McCain (MC), we will build upon the MAPP point model (Management Advisory Package for Potatoes) by taking a holistic approach & considering the spatial variability of tuber size distribution to inform a new & improved adaptive spatial meta-model. The resulting spatial decision support system is cross-sectorial & has the potential to transform in-field decision-making, not just for potato farming but also for other root & arable crops.
Bacterial pathogens of potatoes are responsible for substantial losses through disease, damage and failure to meet market specifications. An effective, sustainable solution is a priority across the UK and wider European industry. This project will build on proof-of-concept data from a previous TSB project in which an innovative biocontrol technology based on naturally-occurring antimiciobial agents (bacteriophage) was shown to control bacteria-induced blackleg in potatoes; the commonest fault observed during the growing crop inspections and associated reason for crops being downgraded/ failing. The technology also reduced associated tuber soft rots during storage. A business-led consortium will carry out further investigations on the technology, addressing key questions of technology deployment and efficacy in relation to dose rate, disease pressure and environmental stresses, together with formulation and integration into commercial practice.
Bacterial pathogens of potatoes are responsible for substantial losses through disease, damage and failure to meet market specifications. An effective, sustainable solution is a priority across the UK and wider European industry. This project will build on proof-of-concept data from a previous TSB project in which an innovative biocontrol technology based on naturally-occurring antimiciobial agents (bacteriophage) was shown to control bacteria-induced blackleg in potatoes; the commonest fault observed during the growing crop inspections and associated reason for crops being downgraded/ failing. The technology also reduced associated tuber soft rots during storage. A business-led consortium will carry out further investigations on the technology, addressing key questions of technology deployment and efficacy in relation to dose rate, disease pressure and environmental stresses, together with formulation and integration into commercial practice.
Bacterial pathogens of potatoes are responsible for substantial losses through disease, damage and failure to meet market specifications. An effective, sustainable solution is a priority across the UK and wider European industry. This project will build on proof-of-concept data from a previous TSB project in which an innovative biocontrol technology based on naturally-occurring antimiciobial agents (bacteriophage) was shown to control bacteria-induced blackleg in potatoes; the commonest fault observed during the growing crop inspections and associated reason for crops being downgraded/ failing. The technology also reduced associated tuber soft rots during storage. A business-led consortium will carry out further investigations on the technology, addressing key questions of technology deployment and efficacy in relation to dose rate, disease pressure and environmental stresses, together with formulation and integration into commercial practice.
Bacterial pathogens of potatoes are responsible for substantial losses through disease, damage and failure to meet market specifications. An effective, sustainable solution is a priority across the UK and wider European industry. This project will build on proof-of-concept data from a previous TSB project in which an innovative biocontrol technology based on naturally-occurring antimiciobial agents (bacteriophage) was shown to control bacteria-induced blackleg in potatoes; the commonest fault observed during the growing crop inspections and associated reason for crops being downgraded/ failing. The technology also reduced associated tuber soft rots during storage. A business-led consortium will carry out further investigations on the technology, addressing key questions of technology deployment and efficacy in relation to dose rate, disease pressure and environmental stresses, together with formulation and integration into commercial practice.
Bacterial pathogens of potatoes are responsible for substantial losses through disease, damage and failure to meet market specifications. An effective, sustainable solution is a priority across the UK and wider European industry. This project will build on proof-of-concept data from a previous TSB project in which an innovative biocontrol technology based on naturally-occurring antimiciobial agents (bacteriophage) was shown to control bacteria-induced blackleg in potatoes; the commonest fault observed during the growing crop inspections and associated reason for crops being downgraded/ failing. The technology also reduced associated tuber soft rots during storage. A business-led consortium will carry out further investigations on the technology, addressing key questions of technology deployment and efficacy in relation to dose rate, disease pressure and environmental stresses, together with formulation and integration into commercial practice.
Bacterial pathogens of potatoes are responsible for substantial losses through disease, damage and failure to meet market specifications. An effective, sustainable solution is a priority across the UK and wider European industry. This project will build on proof-of-concept data from a previous TSB project in which an innovative biocontrol technology based on naturally-occurring antimiciobial agents (bacteriophage) was shown to control bacteria-induced blackleg in potatoes; the commonest fault observed during the growing crop inspections and associated reason for crops being downgraded/ failing. The technology also reduced associated tuber soft rots during storage. A business-led consortium will carry out further investigations on the technology, addressing key questions of technology deployment and efficacy in relation to dose rate, disease pressure and environmental stresses, together with formulation and integration into commercial practice.
Bacterial pathogens of potatoes are responsible for substantial losses through disease, damage and failure to meet market specifications. An effective, sustainable solution is a priority across the UK and wider European industry. This project will build on proof-of-concept data from a previous TSB project in which an innovative biocontrol technology based on naturally-occurring antimiciobial agents (bacteriophage) was shown to control bacteria-induced blackleg in potatoes; the commonest fault observed during the growing crop inspections and associated reason for crops being downgraded/ failing. The technology also reduced associated tuber soft rots during storage. A business-led consortium will carry out further investigations on the technology, addressing key questions of technology deployment and efficacy in relation to dose rate, disease pressure and environmental stresses, together with formulation and integration into commercial practice.
Bacterial pathogens of potatoes are responsible for substantial losses through disease, damage and failure to meet market specifications. An effective, sustainable solution is a priority across the UK and wider European industry. This project will build on proof-of-concept data from a previous TSB project in which an innovative biocontrol technology based on naturally-occurring antimiciobial agents (bacteriophage) was shown to control bacteria-induced blackleg in potatoes; the commonest fault observed during the growing crop inspections and associated reason for crops being downgraded/ failing. The technology also reduced associated tuber soft rots during storage. A business-led consortium will carry out further investigations on the technology, addressing key questions of technology deployment and efficacy in relation to dose rate, disease pressure and environmental stresses, together with formulation and integration into commercial practice.
Bacterial pathogens of potatoes are responsible for substantial losses through disease, damage and failure to meet market specifications. An effective, sustainable solution is a priority across the UK and wider European industry. This project will build on proof-of-concept data from a previous TSB project in which an innovative biocontrol technology based on naturally-occurring antimiciobial agents (bacteriophage) was shown to control bacteria-induced blackleg in potatoes; the commonest fault observed during the growing crop inspections and associated reason for crops being downgraded/ failing. The technology also reduced associated tuber soft rots during storage. A business-led consortium will carry out further investigations on the technology, addressing key questions of technology deployment and efficacy in relation to dose rate, disease pressure and environmental stresses, together with formulation and integration into commercial practice.
Bacterial pathogens of potatoes are responsible for substantial losses through disease, damage and failure to meet market specifications. An effective, sustainable solution is a priority across the UK and wider European industry. This project will build on proof-of-concept data from a previous TSB project in which an innovative biocontrol technology based on naturally-occurring antimiciobial agents (bacteriophage) was shown to control bacteria-induced blackleg in potatoes; the commonest fault observed during the growing crop inspections and associated reason for crops being downgraded/ failing. The technology also reduced associated tuber soft rots during storage. A business-led consortium will carry out further investigations on the technology, addressing key questions of technology deployment and efficacy in relation to dose rate, disease pressure and environmental stresses, together with formulation and integration into commercial practice.
Bacterial pathogens of potatoes are responsible for substantial losses through disease, damage and failure to meet market specifications. An effective, sustainable solution is a priority across the UK and wider European industry. This project will build on proof-of-concept data from a previous TSB project in which an innovative biocontrol technology based on naturally-occurring antimiciobial agents (bacteriophage) was shown to control bacteria-induced blackleg in potatoes; the commonest fault observed during the growing crop inspections and associated reason for crops being downgraded/ failing. The technology also reduced associated tuber soft rots during storage. A business-led consortium will carry out further investigations on the technology, addressing key questions of technology deployment and efficacy in relation to dose rate, disease pressure and environmental stresses, together with formulation and integration into commercial practice.
Bacterial pathogens of potatoes are responsible for substantial losses through disease, damage and failure to meet market specifications. An effective, sustainable solution is a priority across the UK and wider European industry. This project will build on proof-of-concept data from a previous TSB project in which an innovative biocontrol technology based on naturally-occurring antimiciobial agents (bacteriophage) was shown to control bacteria-induced blackleg in potatoes; the commonest fault observed during the growing crop inspections and associated reason for crops being downgraded/ failing. The technology also reduced associated tuber soft rots during storage. A business-led consortium will carry out further investigations on the technology, addressing key questions of technology deployment and efficacy in relation to dose rate, disease pressure and environmental stresses, together with formulation and integration into commercial practice.
Bacterial pathogens of potatoes are responsible for substantial losses through disease, damage and failure to meet market specifications. An effective, sustainable solution is a priority across the UK and wider European industry. This project will build on proof-of-concept data from a previous TSB project in which an innovative biocontrol technology based on naturally-occurring antimiciobial agents (bacteriophage) was shown to control bacteria-induced blackleg in potatoes; the commonest fault observed during the growing crop inspections and associated reason for crops being downgraded/ failing. The technology also reduced associated tuber soft rots during storage. A business-led consortium will carry out further investigations on the technology, addressing key questions of technology deployment and efficacy in relation to dose rate, disease pressure and environmental stresses, together with formulation and integration into commercial practice.
Bacterial pathogens of potatoes are responsible for substantial losses through disease, damage and failure to meet market specifications. An effective, sustainable solution is a priority across the UK and wider European industry. This project will build on proof-of-concept data from a previous TSB project in which an innovative biocontrol technology based on naturally-occurring antimiciobial agents (bacteriophage) was shown to control bacteria-induced blackleg in potatoes; the commonest fault observed during the growing crop inspections and associated reason for crops being downgraded/ failing. The technology also reduced associated tuber soft rots during storage. A business-led consortium will carry out further investigations on the technology, addressing key questions of technology deployment and efficacy in relation to dose rate, disease pressure and environmental stresses, together with formulation and integration into commercial practice.
Bacterial pathogens of potatoes are responsible for substantial losses through disease, damage and failure to meet market specifications. An effective, sustainable solution is a priority across the UK and wider European industry. This project will build on proof-of-concept data from a previous TSB project in which an innovative biocontrol technology based on naturally-occurring antimiciobial agents (bacteriophage) was shown to control bacteria-induced blackleg in potatoes; the commonest fault observed during the growing crop inspections and associated reason for crops being downgraded/ failing. The technology also reduced associated tuber soft rots during storage. A business-led consortium will carry out further investigations on the technology, addressing key questions of technology deployment and efficacy in relation to dose rate, disease pressure and environmental stresses, together with formulation and integration into commercial practice.
Bacterial pathogens of potatoes are responsible for substantial losses through disease, damage and failure to meet market specifications. An effective, sustainable solution is a priority across the UK and wider European industry. This project will build on proof-of-concept data from a previous TSB project in which an innovative biocontrol technology based on naturally-occurring antimiciobial agents (bacteriophage) was shown to control bacteria-induced blackleg in potatoes; the commonest fault observed during the growing crop inspections and associated reason for crops being downgraded/ failing. The technology also reduced associated tuber soft rots during storage. A business-led consortium will carry out further investigations on the technology, addressing key questions of technology deployment and efficacy in relation to dose rate, disease pressure and environmental stresses, together with formulation and integration into commercial practice.
Bacterial pathogens of potatoes are responsible for substantial losses through disease, damage and failure to meet market specifications. An effective, sustainable solution is a priority across the UK and wider European industry. This project will build on proof-of-concept data from a previous TSB project in which an innovative biocontrol technology based on naturally-occurring antimiciobial agents (bacteriophage) was shown to control bacteria-induced blackleg in potatoes; the commonest fault observed during the growing crop inspections and associated reason for crops being downgraded/ failing. The technology also reduced associated tuber soft rots during storage. A business-led consortium will carry out further investigations on the technology, addressing key questions of technology deployment and efficacy in relation to dose rate, disease pressure and environmental stresses, together with formulation and integration into commercial practice.
Bacterial pathogens of potatoes are responsible for substantial losses through disease, damage and failure to meet market specifications. An effective, sustainable solution is a priority across the UK and wider European industry. This project will build on proof-of-concept data from a previous TSB project in which an innovative biocontrol technology based on naturally-occurring antimiciobial agents (bacteriophage) was shown to control bacteria-induced blackleg in potatoes; the commonest fault observed during the growing crop inspections and associated reason for crops being downgraded/ failing. The technology also reduced associated tuber soft rots during storage. A business-led consortium will carry out further investigations on the technology, addressing key questions of technology deployment and efficacy in relation to dose rate, disease pressure and environmental stresses, together with formulation and integration into commercial practice.
Bacterial pathogens of potatoes are responsible for substantial losses through disease, damage and failure to meet market specifications. An effective, sustainable solution is a priority across the UK and wider European industry. This project will build on proof-of-concept data from a previous TSB project in which an innovative biocontrol technology based on naturally-occurring antimiciobial agents (bacteriophage) was shown to control bacteria-induced blackleg in potatoes; the commonest fault observed during the growing crop inspections and associated reason for crops being downgraded/ failing. The technology also reduced associated tuber soft rots during storage. A business-led consortium will carry out further investigations on the technology, addressing key questions of technology deployment and efficacy in relation to dose rate, disease pressure and environmental stresses, together with formulation and integration into commercial practice.
Free Living Nematodes (FLN) are emerging as a major problem for UK potato growers, exacerbated in the short term by removal of approved nematicides and in the long-term by expected population increases due to climate change. FLN cause direct damage by feeding on potato roots reducing yields and quality, and indirectly by transmitting Tobacco Rattle Virus (TRV). Relatively low levels of TRV infections can render entire crops unsaleable, both for the fresh and the processing industries. Current knowledge estimates the total loss to the UK potato industry to be £13m p.a. FLN comprise a range of different taxonomic groups that are difficult to distinguish visually but vary significantly in terms of their distribution, pathogenicity and virus transmission frequencies, and have been to date under-studied in the UK. The problem is further compounded by beneficial and pathogenic FLN species co-existing, and thus accurate discrimination is essential. This project brings together a consortium of companies with a grower base of over 500 growers invloved in ware potato production seed both for use in the UK and export. In addition, a number of companies with potential methods for controlling FLN populations are included as partners. For the first time, a molecular diagnostic capable of distinguishing between the three main groups of FLN of interest will be developed, validated and deployed. This will be used to assess direct FLN feeding damage on a selection of commercial potato varieties as well as study effects on tuber quality and transmission of virus. In parallel, molecular markers will be developed to facilitate the breeding of new potato varieties with resistance to TRV.
Free Living Nematodes (FLN) are emerging as a major problem for UK potato growers, exacerbated in the short term by removal of approved nematicides and in the long-term by expected population increases due to climate change. FLN cause direct damage by feeding on potato roots reducing yields and quality, and indirectly by transmitting Tobacco Rattle Virus (TRV). Relatively low levels of TRV infections can render entire crops unsaleable, both for the fresh and the processing industries. Current knowledge estimates the total loss to the UK potato industry to be >£13m p.a. FLN comprise a range of different taxonomic groups that are difficult to distinguish visually but vary significantly in terms of their distribution, pathogenicity and virus transmission frequencies, and have been to date under-studied in the UK. The problem is further compounded by beneficial and pathogenic FLN species co-existing, and thus accurate discrimination is essential. This project brings together a consortium of companies with a grower base of over 500 growers invloved in ware potato production seed both for use in the UK and export. In addition, a number of companies with potential methods for controlling FLN populations are included as partners. For the first time, a molecular diagnostic capable of distinguishing between the three main groups of FLN of interest will be developed, validated and deployed. This will be used to assess direct FLN feeding damage on a selection of commercial potato varieties as well as study effects on tuber quality and transmission of virus. In parallel, molecular markers will be developed to facilitate the breeding of new potato varieties with resistance to TRV.