WA POTATOES
Seed Grower Field Day
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BY JULIAN ACKLEY PRESIDENT, WEST AUSTRALIAN SEED POTATO PRODUCERS
eed potato growers in Western Australia are in a fortunate position that potato diseases occur very rarely here.
PHOTOS © AMY PARRY, SEED CERTIFICATION OFFICER, DPIRD
A big part of this is due to the Generation 2 industry survey where the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) perform an annual leaf sample collection from all G2 sown seed grown in Western Australia for virus
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WA Grower SUMMER 2021
testing. This ensures that the final bulk out of the G3 sown seed will produce a clean G4 sample. Being free from virus is of course critically important for all seed growers, but it can present a challenge when you need to look for virus in your own crops but have never seen it.
On arrival, growers were ‘deputised’ as certification officers and given the prefilled applications for the three trial plots on display. As deputy certification officers, growers were tasked with completing an inspection based on the applications provided.
Earlier this year an opportunity arose for DPIRD to obtain some virus infected seed. DPIRD, in conjunction with West Australian Seed Potato Producers Group, decided to put on a field day for growers to be able to see and understand virus in the flesh. Lead by Senior Certification Officer David Tooke, a small trial patch was planted, and in mid-October this year a field day was held in Busselton.
A myriad of errors was included to test growers’ ability to pick up on common mistakes before the inspection even began.
Being free from virus is critically important for all seed growers.
Some of the pre-inspection errors included incorrect label types and missing rotation paperwork.
