'More sustainable cultivation requires innovation'

"The key to growing starch potatoes more sustainably is innovation – especially in the form of new, better varieties. We must also keep crop protection products on board, because we will certainly need them in addition to cultivation measures in the coming years. The idea that by 2030 we will be without crop protection products could not be realistic.” That's what Jans Klok, Knowledge & Development Coordinator at Royal Avebe says. 

Klok explains which steps the Agro branch of Avebe is taking to guide and encourage growers to grow greener and more sustainably.

How does Avebe focus on sustainability?
"Within the Agro-department, we want to guide our members in cultivation and that also applies to sustainability. We don't want to impose anything on growers. We prefer to offer them practical, usable handles with which they can really do something on their farm. We will set up a test field at PPO Valthermond in 2020 where the durability of different varieties has been compared. a good harvest, while for a new variety such as Avenger this is 220 kg N/ha and a halving of the number of Phytophthora sprayings. So by growing new(er) varieties in combination with cultivation measures you can make a very concrete contribution to less CO16 emissions and less environmental impact.”

What concrete goals do you have in the field of sustainability? 
"For the period 2018 – 2023, we have focused on 2023 x 3 = 10 for 500. 3 x 10 stands for 10% higher starch yield, 10% less CO2 emissions and 10% lower environmental impact. Together, this should result in a €500 higher yield per hectare, especially of new, better varieties, i.e. varieties that require less input – such as fertilizers and crop protection agents – and varieties that have stronger and broader resistances, as well as varieties whose potential yield is slightly higher again, because that is also an environmental benefit, because with an equal input per hectare, the CO2 emissions and environmental impact per kilogram of starch potato yield are lower.”

Variety breeding is therefore the key to more sustainable cultivation. How do you handle that?
"At the moment, new varieties still arise from traditional distribution. Although this is becoming more advanced, it takes a relatively long time. We are therefore looking for new ways to speed up this process. For example, Averis, Avebe's breeding company, is working together with the company Solynta on hybrid breeding - a technique with which you can build in properties such as resistance to Phythophthora into existing varieties. This allows you to make very big steps. A Phytophthora-resistant variety immediately results in a 50% reduction in resources. That is a real profit !''

How fast are these developments going?
"Hmm… I think a little slower than I would like. Whether we will actually achieve our ambitious goals for 2023 is therefore still uncertain. My estimate is that we need a few more years to get significantly more sustainable varieties on the field - which can also compete in yield. Nevertheless, every year a few beautiful newcomers rattle at the gate. Take the Avamond variety, which will be planted on a larger scale for the first time next year. Except that this variety only needs 160 kilos of nitrogen for a good yield, it is also virus resistant, which means that no mineral oil is needed for seed potato cultivation. Both properties have a direct positive influence on both CO2 emissions and the environmental impact."

How do you determine whether a variety, a substance or a certain action is more sustainable?
"We do this, among other things, with the Cool Farm Tool – an instrument with which the CO2 emissions of a processing or handling of a plot of starch potatoes can be calculated - and the CLM environmental yardstick, which shows the environmental impact of crop protection products. We also know that every 10 kilograms less fertilizer nitrogen on potatoes results in approximately 3% less CO2 emissions. All these tools and rules of thumb together provide a reasonably good insight into the environmental benefits achieved."

How can growers work on more sustainable starch potato cultivation?
"For example, by working on a well-rooted and resilient soil. We have been paying attention to this in our eight study groups for several years. In practice, the zone between 30 and 60 centimeters in particular sometimes wants to be compacted. You see this in dry years. immediately back in disappointing returns."

"The number of stems per linear meter also continues to require attention. The optimum is around 15 stems, which means that the yield potential is the greatest. Because we have been insisting on this for several years, three quarters of the growers have this in order. We would like to reach the other quarter with this message. In practice, with an optimal number of stems, you get at least 5% more kilos ashore."

And crop protection: what sustainability options are there in this area?
"As a grower, you can use the CLM environmental yardstick to choose certain products for your business conditions. There may also be gains to be made by using the available (basic) resources in such a way that they are maximally effective, so that subsequent (post) spraying is not possible. or less often, so we should mainly focus on smarter spraying and not on cutting resources or banning them, because we hardly gain anything from that."

"Take weed control. Of course you can hoe against weeds, but the question is how great the environmental benefit of this really is - after all, you drive a lot more over the land with the tractor, which influences soil compaction and fuel consumption (= CO2 emissions). Hoeing must also be effective in such a way that you save at least one spraying.For that you have to be able to hoe exactly at the right time, which is quite a challenge in practice.There is also the disadvantage that with hoeing you loosen the soil, which causes some dust. works in hand."

"Even when combating diseases and pests, there are actually no alternatives to crop protection products. You have to spray against Colorado potato beetles, otherwise you will lose your crop. And whoever wants to cut back on the late blight control - with lower doses or longer intervals - takes considerable risks and is often more expensive at the end of the ride because curative agents still have to be used.And please note: even with highly Phytophthora-resistant varieties, we still need crop protection agents to keep the disease in check sufficiently and to prevent resistance can be broken early. We also have Alternaria, which is becoming an increasing problem in starch cultivation. Virtually all varieties - including the newest - are sensitive to this. So we also need crop protection badly. reasons enough to keep current crop protection in place instead of phasing it out."

Finally, a word about biological agents; what prospects do they offer in the cultivation of starch potatoes?
"At the moment there is only one green agent being used in practice and that is Serenade (as a soil treatment against Rhizoctonia). Of course I applaud the use of biological agents such as Serenade, although it is appropriate to note that their effectiveness is still not completely crystal clear. In addition, the fungus in Serenade (Bacillus amyloliquefaciens QST 713) must be able to sufficiently colonize around the roots of the potatoes in order to effectively repel the Rhizoctonia fungus. Then the question remains: will it work every season and on every plot?"

"Serenade has been involved in practical trials over the past four years. And although I do not have concrete figures and results, I do see that it is a promising drug and that there are opportunities here."

"Serenade is also being picked up more and more in practice. Growers are supposed to 'test' it and, if it is successful, they will continue with it. Several companies have now switched from chemical to biological treatment with Serenade in the control of Rhizoctonia. These are in fact the ambassadors for greener cultivation."

"That the price of Serenade fraction higher than that of the chemical alternative is, in my view, less and less of a stumbling block. I see that growers are willing to look ahead and become more sustainable. At least, provided that nothing is forced on them and they can do it at their own pace."

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