Nueva Zelanda: Potato season looking good across South Canterbury region
The early potato harvests are looking good for New Zealand’s South Canterbury. According to Potatoes NZ technical manager, Iain Kirkwood, it looks to become an average season.
Heavy rain pre-Christmas resulted in some Black Leg and Powdery Scab in crops. However, this has not proved a problem in Canterbury where between 50% and 60% of the national crop is grown (most of that in South Canterbury).
An outbreak of the mop-top virus (PMTV) in potato tubers in both South and Mid Canterbury last year is still being monitored. ’’Those are the only areas so far, where suspect potatoes have been tested. “The majority of paddocks that have tested positive for the virus are in Mid-Canterbury region. Potatoes NZ is continuing to work with Biosecurity New Zealand on the response, to understand the spread and look at how industry can manage to minimise the impacts of the virus long-term,” Kirkwood said.
The affected potatoes are from the Innovator variety, which are only used for potato chips.
Source: nzherald.co.nz
Fuente: https://www.freshplaza.com/article/9071872/nz-potato-season-looking-good-across-south-canterbury-region/
