Inside Potatoes
Bright spot in percentage reductions in seed potatoes
The results of the field inspections of the NAK inspection service show a slightly more positive picture than earlier this month. The increase in the reduction percentage is leveling off slightly.
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Choose the subscription that suits youThe second field inspection has now been 80% completed, NAK reports. Permission for foliage destruction has now been requested for 3.800 plots. The current reduction percentage is 6,9%.
This concerns a total of 41.855 hectares of seed potatoes that have now been reduced in class. This is the position up to and including July 13, 2020. The reduction percentage has increased slightly in the previous weeks, but compared to 2018 and 2019 it is considerably lower. Reduction rates of 14,6% and 10,8% respectively were reported at the time.
Starting position remains poor
Due to the favorable weather of recent weeks, the lice pressure is slightly less, which can have a favorable effect on the current results. The caveat that must be made is that the starting position is still poor, due to the lice explosion at the start of the seed potato season. Moreover, the results fell into the follow-up was quite disappointing and a cold winter was avoided.
NAK reports that currently 40% of the reduction is primarily caused, i.e. virus transmitted by aphids. If sunny and warmer weather arrives in the coming weeks, as also predicted by Agroweather, then it is obvious that the virus pressure will increase further.