‘HOBBY GROWERS COULD BE PUTTING IRELAND’S POTATO INDUSTRY AT RISK’

CLAIMS THAT ALLOTMENTS AND BACK GARDENS COULD BECOME RESERVOIRS FOR NEW BLIGHT STRAINS.

THE commercial potato sector in Ireland is being put in jeopardy by those who grow spuds in their gardens and allotments, it has been claimed.

A recent potato workshop, jointly hosted by Cafre (College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise ) and Teagasc, the Republic’s agrifood advisory service, heard that hobby growers are putting the island’s commercial potato sector at risk.

While Phytophora infestans is evolving and fast becoming resistant to many of the blight fungicides available, hobby growers tend not to spray their crops, therefore allotments and back gardens have become “reservoirs” for new, potent fungal strains, those at the workshop heard.

Source: Irish News Photo: Jeshoots.com

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