Biological products, or biologicals, are a diverse group of agricultural inputs derived from living organisms such as plants, insects, microbes, or fungi. In potato production, these products can be used alongside conventional management practices for a variety of purposes such as improving nutrient efficiency and pest and disease management.

A healthy soil is full of life. All organisms have a role to play in maintaining a healthy and productive soil. This factsheet covers the benefits of soil biology, harmful microbiota, and how to improve soil biology.

A recent PotatoLink demonstration trial at Springbank, Vic, investigated the impact of farm practices on the effectiveness of biologicals, including the application of fungicides, the influence of soil nutrient availability, and fertiliser applications. In Issue 10 of PotatoLink magazine you will find all the details of the trial as well as the results.

Doctors Ingo Hein, Sanjeev Sharma and Xinwei Chen talk to PotatoLink about their research, and the exciting new world of advanced potato breeding.

Listen now.

Understanding and managing the interacting components of soil health - physical, biological and chemical factors - is essential to create robust and productive soils that are able to sustain commercial potato production. This PotatoLink magazine article examines some aspects of soil physical properties and how they impact agricultural practice (and how agricultural practices impact soil physical properties).

Soil fumigation can play a role in managing major disease issues. In this episode, Applied Horticultural Research's Dr Jenny Ekman discusses soil fumigation with Chad Hutchinson of the TriCal group.

This case study covers the mycorrhizal fungi trials hosted at the Bolwarrah, VIC demonstration site. It covers what the trial was, what happened, and some tips on getting the most out of your mycorrhizal fungi products.

Developed by SARDI (South Australian Research and Development Institute), PREDICTA Pt is a commercial DNA testing service that can identify which pathogens are in the soil or skin of seed tubers.

In Issue 05 of PotatoLink magazine, Ryan Hall and Jenny Ekman from the PotatoLink team report on PREDICTA Pt including a 5-year case study describing its use in monitoring powdery scab and rhizoctonia on a commercial farm.

The rising costs of labour, fuel, power and fertiliser, coupled with a desire to embrace more sustainable practices, are driving the uptake of new biological and biostimulant products among potato farmers. Read more about biologicals in this PotatoLink magazine article.

Watch this panel discussion and the last soil biology masterclass with potato growers across Australia and see many of your questions answered.

The third soil biology masterclass was delivered by PotatoLink team member Marc Hinderager, looking into nitrogen availability in potato and cover crops, and its impact on soil biology.

In this second soil biology masterclass, Dr. Calum Wilson explains about the good, the bad and ugly ones in the soil and how they interact, and what you can do to keep them in balance to protect your potato crop.

The first soil biology masterclass was delivered by Dr. Kelvin Montagu, looking at the linkage between key soil functions and soil biology, and the interactions between plant roots and soil biology.

The 2-hour masterclass aims to provide potato growers and advisers with the understanding they need to improve soil biology, potato yields and their bottom line.

Albert Schirring covers the role of biologicals in soil health and the opportunities in enhancing crop productivity in potatoes.

Soil health is closely linked to soil microbiology. This fact sheet outlines information on a broad group of soil microbes including fungi, bacteria and pseudomonas, and explains how different levels, numbers and ratios of these microbes can impact the overall health of your soil and crops.

The Potato Pest and Disease R&D Coordination project and the Soil Wealth and ICP project, together with McCain and Nutrien, delivered an informative session on biologicals R&D resources, products and testing options for potato growers.

The diseases caused by Spongospora subterranea (tuber powdery scab and root hyperplasia) can cause significant yield and quality loss. Not all soils are equally susceptible to this disease. This 2020 report determined factors that resulted in Spongospora suppressive soils in New Zealand.

Find out more about good salinity management practices on farm, salinity thresholds for vegetables, how salinity can be identified and measured, as well as appropriate EC ranges for soils and water.