IDM Project update

A year in, the National IDM Project is delivering early results for Australian potato growers.

Could the biology of your soil help predict disease before it shows in the crop? And can new tools reduce disease and lift yield?

In Tasmania, the Potato Innovations Team (University of Tasmania, South Australian Research and Development Institute and Simplot) ran field research to test novel treatments for commercial efficacy. They developed new diagnostic tests for important potato pathogens, and trials of pre-planting and in-crop disease management strategies show potential to reduce disease and improve yield.

Nationally, the team from Western Sydney University and the University of Western Australia (UWA), led by Professor Brajesh Singh, has collected nearly 1000 soil samples from commercial potato farms and natural environments. They are using the samples to build an artificial intelligence (AI) model of soil health and disease risk.

Find out what both teams have found so far and what's ahead for the trials in the coming seasons.