Tuber Talk

Potatoes in Canada editor Bree Rody hits the floor at the 2025 Manitoba Potato Producer Days. Hear her chats with speakers, clips from the show and key takeaways as PIC hits the road during the busy conference and trade show season!

Is it possible for anomalies to be the "new normal?" That might be something for growers to get used to – that's at least according to early/preliminary growing season reflections across Canada. While there is much to celebrate, according to United Potato Growers of Canada GM Victoria Stamper and Manitoba plant pathologist Vikram Bisht, one of the markers of the 2024 growing season was its lack of...

Because of the nature of Potato Early Die complex, a control approach is more pragmatic than an elimination approach. Dr. Marisol Quintanilla picked up some tips from her grandfather growing up - including the use of chicken manure to kill insects, earthworms and nematodes. Quintanilla's research team at Michigan State University has explored various combinations of manures and fertilizers. S...

Potato production in Northeastern North America can lead to stagnant yields and declining soil health. This is why practices such as cover cropping and the use of manure are important. However, these practices also lead to increased weed problems by adding seeds into the weed seedbank. A recent AAFC study explored how cover crops and manure affect weed populations in a potato crop rotation over th...

Potato DNA is unique from human and most animal DNA, becuase they’re of tetraploid origin, meaning they have four copies of each chromosome in their DNA – two from each plant parent, as opposed to one. Because of the vast number of tetraploid varieties, potato varieties become closely related to one another and more genetically similar. Decreased genetic diversity leads to varieties being more vul...

For many potato producers, late blight is a well-known disease – either because they're unfortunate enough to have already experienced it, or they're from a region that has had highly publicized late blight symptoms observed. Late blight requires a fairly specific combination of climate and other external factors. Although it's not late blight season yet, it's a good time to know if things are sha...

The 2024 growing season has officially kicked off, and United Potato Growers of Canada general manager Victoria Stamper joins us to share an update on activity in each province and sector. While some parts of Canada were fooled by signs of an early spring, it's now looking a little modest for 2024. Plus, a review of the recent grain-versus-vegetable debate south of the border, and why such matters...

Through her research, Dr. Meghan Cameron has discovered that eight in 10 farmers in P.E.I. are experiencing some level of anxiety or depression – a remarkably high number – shining a light on the importance of mental health. Cameron, who recently completed her family medicine residency with Dalhousie University and whose husband is a potato grower, joins this episode of Tuber Talk to discuss menta...

Potato crops can be susceptible to aphids, as they migrate from the south and “look for anything green” when they arrive in Canada. In this episode of Tuber Talk, Manitoba Agriculture’s Vikram Bisht provides some insight into these tiny pests and what growers can do to spot and treat any possible infestations that could occur this season. Bisht also talks about the work he is doing to track aphids...

Proper irrigation and weed control measures are key to kicking off the growing season for potato farmers. In this episode of Tuber Talk, Mike Wind, president of Windiana Farms in Taber, Alta., talks about what he is doing to get water to his crop in what has been a hot, dry spring in much of Western Canada, while also providing some tips on controlling those pesky weeds. Never miss an episode by s...

The past couple of years have been good for potato growers, so how is 2023 shaping up? In this episode of Tuber Talk, Potatoes in Canada editor Derek Clouthier chats with Victoria Stamper, general manager of the United Potato Growers of Canada, about her insights into the market and demand for the coming growing season, and some thoughts on what she sees for growers across the country in 2023. Nev...

Whether it’s a pest that chews or sucks, controlling insects in your field is a necessary part of life for potato growers. In this episode of Tuber Talk, Potatoes in Canada editor Derek Clouthier talks with Andrew Thompson, area business manager for ADAMA Canada. Thompson helps listeners get a better understanding of the various types of insecticides, how they work, what they are intended to do, w...

A new project between the Potato Growers of Alberta and Results Driven Agriculture Research is working to establish a platform for rapid diagnosis for current and potential potato diseases. In this episode of Tuber Talk, guest host Bree Rody chats with Dr. Stacy Bajema, seed co-ordinator for the Potato Growers of Alberta, about the project's goals and the impact the platform will have on Alberta's...

Prince Edward Island might be Canada's potato capital, but growers on the Island aren't exempt from soil health challenges. In this episode of Tuber Talk, guest host Bree Rody chats with Ryan Barrett, research co-ordinator for the P.E.I. Potato Board about the different projects underway at Living Labs Atlantic to help boost both soil health and potato yield and profitability, including cover crop...

Wireworms, the larvae of click beetles, are notoriously damaging to tubers. Found across Canada, the worms can survive in irregularly cold temperatures, making them an even more persistent problem. Now, AAFC research scientists have found a natural way to suppress wireworm populations more naturally: by incorporating buckwheat crops into rotation. Listen to Drs. Christine Noronha and Jason McCallu...

In 2011, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) scientists were researching ways to control European corn borer populations. In an effort to target the pest at its source, they developed a piece of equipment dubbed the “ potato vine crusher .” The equipment successfully reduced ECB populations in a field, but the pest's ability to fly between fields meant all farms in an area would have to employ...

Black dot has been called the silent, early yield robber and for good reason - the disease can often be mistaken for other diseases, and early infections can carry through the season. In this episode of Tuber Talk, Julie Pasche, associate professor and Neil C. Gudmestad endowed chair at North Dakota State University breaks down the pathology of black dot, and provides management advice for growers...

Colorado potato beetle (CPB) is a devastating invasive insect pest of potato and other Solanaceae crops and can be found in potato-growing regions across Canada. The beetle is also capable of developing resistance to insecticides rapidly, making it more of a question of "when" specific resistances will develop, rather than "if." A five-year study conducted by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC...

What should have been a banner year for Prince Edward Island potato growers quickly turned into a nightmare when potato wart was detected in two fields in October 2021. Since then, P.E.I. potato producers have faced devastating losses, most recently with hundreds of millions of pounds of potatoes being destroyed in the province due to export restrictions. In this episode, Tuber Talk host Dylan Sjo...

Potatoes in Canada last spoke to Vanessa Currie, a potato breeding technician at the University of Guelph, at the 2021 Canadian Potato Summit, where she shared exciting new varieties being examined. In this episode of Tuber Talk, our guest host Dylan Sjolle catches up with Vanessa to recap the 2021 growing season and hear what's new for the program in 2022. To receive a copy of the breeding report...

Potato early dying complex is aptly named, with many factors contributing to this complicated disease of potato crops. In this episode of Tuber Talk, editorial director Stefanie Croley chats with Dr. Mario Tenuta, professor of applied soil ecology at the University of Manitoba, and the principal investigator of the Canadian Potato Early Dying Network, or CanPEDNet, working alongside several other...

Disease-suppressive crops work in multiple ways: by not being a crop host to the disease, by actively lowering pathogen levels, and by boosting soil health so the overall growing environment is more resilient to disease. Robert Larkin, USDA-ARS research plant pathologist, joins us to discuss the different ways crops can lower disease pressure, what farmers in Maine are doing, and all about soil he...

For the past two years, Colby Robertson investigated the impact of soil treatments on southern Alberta fields with high pathogen levels for Verticillium and root-lesion nematode. These two pathogens are involved in potato early dying complex (PED) - a disease that can shave 15 to 30 per cent off a field’s yield potential. Robertson briefly explains the research, shares takeaways for potato growers...

Peter Vander Zaag is an international potato research scientist who has worked in 60 countries, but his roots start in Alliston, Ont. on his family’s multi-generational potato farm. In this episode, Vander Zaag shares what he’s learned through his international experiences, explains his current work, and looks ahead to the future of the potato industry. You can find Peter Vander Zaag on Twitter at...

This episode focuses on the practices in Prince Edward Island, one of Canada's largest potato producing provinces. Ryan Barrett, research coordinator with the P.E.I. Potato Board, shares what crops P.E.I. producers are adding to the rotation to boost soil health. Barrett discusses what they’ve seen with mustards, buckwheat, sorghum sudangrass, Pearl millet, on top of sharing his experiences workin...