Just like us, plants have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to defend themselves against pests and pathogens. One of the most intriguing strategies is 'Induced Systemic Resistance' (ISR). Specific microbes or environmental triggers can activate the plant defences, improving its ability to ward off attack or cope with stress. And we can help that happen. Read the full article in Issue 13 of PotatoLink magazine.

When the potatoes have been harvested, graded and put into storage a great weight has been lifted. The spuds aren’t going to be stuck in the ground due to late season rain. Grubs and bugs aren’t going to start affecting the tubers, and it looks like most of the disease issues have been avoided. They’re safe. Except there is another consideration, and that is storage diseases, discussed in this PotatoLink magazine article.

Harvest is where all the effort and expense that has gone into growing the crop finally comes to ‘tuberition’. It is where money can be made or lost, and where the grower finally, conclusively, finds out what has been happening under their feet. Read about how to get the most out of your harvest and how to correctly store potatoes in this PotatoLink magazine article.

In the PotatoLink magazine, the Spud GP answers the question: I’ve noticed a few leaves getting chewed on plants around the edge of the paddock, but I can’t see any insects on there – what’s causing this?

Beyond providing soil moisture data at a given time and soil depth, can soil moisture probes help in making future irrigation decisions? The potential of moisture probes to serve a dual role was the subject of a PotatoLink demonstration trial are discussed in this PotatoLink magazine article.

During the Australian summer, potatoes are susceptible to various pests and diseases that can thrive in the warm and humid conditions. Get the mini guide in this PotatoLink Magazine article.

The soil ecosystem directly impacts crop yield and quality. In recent years, there has been growing interest in sustainable farming practices that improve soil's biological, chemical and physical characteristics. Biofumigation is one of these sustainable practices discussed in this PotatoLink magazine article.

Three new species of Lyriomyza leafminer flies are now present in Australia including, American Serpentine Leafminer (ASLM (Liriomyza trifolii)), Serpentine Leafminer (SLM (Liriomyza huidobrensis)), and Vegetable Leafminer (VLM (Liriomyza sativae)). Read more in this PotatoLink magazine article by Shakira Johnson, AUSVEG.

What happens when climate change impacts one of the world’s most important foods? With a burgeoning global population, food security is one of the most complex problems of our time, and our rapidly warming planet complicates the problem further. Read more in this PotatoLink magazine article.

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.

Australian Seed Potato Industry Certification Authority (AuSPICA) has introduced an innovative solution to monitor insect vectors in potato crops. Passive suction traps installed in the field take samples of potential virus vectors, which are then sent to Intertek laboratories for rapid DNA analysis. The data developed builds information on the presence of potato virus vectors during the growing season and in the long term, builds trends on vector populations in potato growing regions.

Read the full story in Issue 10 of PotatoLink magazine.

Following a PotatoLink online training webinar with senior members of the Bureau of Meteorology, Paulette Baumgartl has compiled a comprehensive article in Issue 09 of PotatoLink magazine pointing out that behind the weekly temperature and rainfall forecasts, and the much-loved radar, sits an abundance of data, both raw and interpreted. If you know where to look, this data can be a useful decision-making tool.

Potato growers know that seed is an expensive input not to be wasted. And inefficient planting and spacing, including skips and doubles, can be costly.

Optimising seed spacing provides a real opportunity to minimise inputs while maximising yield. To evaluate the economic impact of poor planter performance, PotatoLink conducted a demonstration on the impact of seed spacing on potato yield and size.