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Seed Grower Field Day
Seed Grower
Field Day
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BY JULIAN ACKLEY PRESIDENT, WEST AUSTRALIAN SEED POTATO PRODUCERS
Seed potato growers in Western Australia are in a fortunate position that potato diseases occur very rarely here.
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 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. 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.
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. A myriad of errors was Being free from virus is critically important for all seedgrowers. included to test growers’ ability to pick up on common mistakes before the inspection even began. Some of the pre-inspection errors included incorrect label types and missing rotation paperwork.
f THE field day was led by Senior Certification Officer David Tooke. f ABOVE: Three varieties on display. LEFT: Early symptoms displayed by diseased plants.
Onto the physical inspection, which at this point all plots had already failed certification in the application alone. The growers uncovered several additional issues in the plots including poorly visible plot markers, inaccurate map, insufficient isolation gaps between generations, volunteers in the isolation gap, admix varieties in the crops, unthrifty plants, poor emergence and lastly, but most significantly, disease. The disease was present at stages between where a normal first and second inspection would occur and provided a hands-on in field view for the growers to see in the flesh.
This learning experience was invaluable for all those who attended.
The level and scope of the field day was a credit to our Senior Certification Officer David Tooke. David’s energetic and unwavering support, and the hard work of all our Certification Officers, made the day a big success.
MORE INFORMATION For more information regarding growing seed potatoes in Western Australia visit
www.agric.wa.gov.au/plant-biosecurity/ potato-seed-certification
Or to contact West Australian Seed Potato Producers group, email:
