SpudChat

This week's episode of Spudchat is a recording of Ryan Barrett's presentation from the 2026 International Potato Technology Expo in Charlottetown, PE. In this talk, Ryan discusses his research into the use of Minuet, an in-furrow biopesticide, for reduction of common scab symptoms in processing potato varieties. A video of this presentation, along with other IPTE presentations, is available on the PEI Potato Agronomy website (www.peipotatoagronomy.com).

In this episode, Ryan talks with Erica Fava of AAFC Fredericton about AAFC's National Potato Breeding Program, and how variety development and evaluation is done in Canada. This includes work supported by the National Cluster Program under the Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada (FVGC), with trials in 8 provinces across Canada. 

On this episode of Spudchat, Ryan talks with Steve Watts of Genesis Crop Systems here in PEI about some of his on-farm research into nutrient management, including implementing 4R nutrient management, investigating the use of enhanced efficiency nitrogen products, and now investigating the use of nitrogen-fixing bacteria products in potatoes. Steve is a professional agrologist and project lead under the ACS Living Labs PEI initiative.

In this episode of Spudchat, we welcome back Dr. Judith Nyiraneza from AAFC Charlottetown to talk about manure and other soil amendments in potato rotation, including some of the work that she and her team have been doing through ACS Living Labs and other projects. We talk about a long term rotation trial comparing the use of manure compared with different cover crops, as well as some on-farm trials using liquid manure, biochar, and willow wood chips. 

Spudchat is back for a new season!  In this episode, Ryan talks with Dr. Julie Pasche of North Dakota State University in Fargo, ND about Alternaria, commonly known as early blight and brown spot diseases. They discuss the differences between these pathogens and the diseases they cause, discuss differences in populations and fungicide resistance across the continent, and discuss management strategies. They finish with a chat about black dot, a growing disease of importance in many regions.

This week on SpudChat, Ryan chats with Darin Gibson with Gaia Consulting in Manitoba. Darin and his wife Debbie do contract potato research, variety evaluation, potato breeding, and sugar testing services in Manitoba, and both are well-known in the MB potato industry and beyond. 

In this episode of Spudchat, Ryan talks with Chad Mooney, a potato farmer in Eastern Prince Edward Island about his journey back to the farm after time in the Canadian armed forces, how he is trying to use data from multiple sources to inform his decision making on the farm, and the multiple ways he is collecting that data, including the use of drone imagery. Chad also talks about using his DJI Agras drone for cover crop seeding and variable rate fertility management, as well as how he thinks the role of drones in potato farming will expand in the future.

Spudchat is back after a longer than anticipated hiatus!This week, we hear from Jonathan MacLennan of MacLennan Properties, West Cap and Brandon MacPhail of MacSull Farms, New London, to hear how their crops are looking so far this year, as well as hear about new projects underway on their farms.If you have feedback about Spudchat, please feel free to contact us at [email protected].

In this episode of SpudChat, Ryan Barrett chats with Kelvin Montagu of Applied Horticultural Research in Australia about regenerative agriculture at the World Potato Congress, held in late June in Adelaide, Australia.  This recording was done by the folks at PotatoLink, the Australian potato industry extension project.  You can find out more about PotatoLink at https://potatolink.com.au, and you can check out their podcast at https://www.buzzsprout.com/2022082.

In this episode, Ryan talks with Dr. Aitazaz Farooque, Professor of Precision Agriculture with the University of Prince Edward Island.  Aitazaz has been a frequent collaborator on research projects with the PEI potato industry, including research into the use of soil electroconductivity (EC) for creating management zones, uses those zones for variable rate fertility or seed spacing, investigating compaction, and now working on using AI and machine learning to identify PVY in the field.  We discuss all of these projects and more in this chat.

In this episode of Spudchat, we talk to Dr. Ian Scott of AAFC in London, Ontario about insecticide resistance in Colorado potato beetles.  Ian was part of a team that worked for the last five years to test potato beetles from across Canada for resistance to commonly used insecticides, uncovering some very interesting results.  We talk about those results and the next steps in managing these persistent pests.

In this episode, we talk to Dr. Tyler MacKenzie of Agricultural Certification Services in Fredericton, NB to talk about the work that their team is doing on PVY, including some research into aphicide resistance that they did for us here in PEI last year.  Tyler also talks about using new lab techniques to identify Verticillium and nematodes, which cause potato early dying.

In this episode of Spudchat, we head "across the pond" again to speak with Martyn Cox, an independent agronomist in England who has been working hard to figure out how to manage wireworm, which has become more of an issue in recent years.  Martyn has been collaborating with folks in PEI for the last few years to inform how they improve their IPM strategies back in the UK.  Martyn updates us on the challenges they face with wireworm and how they are making headway in reducing losses from this pest.

Spudchat is back!  Apologies for the hiatus, but looking forward to bringing you more potato chat this year.In this episode, Ryan talks with Dr. Mark Stalham of Mark Stalham Potato Consultancy in the United Kingdom.  Mark worked for many years at Cambridge University Farm and then NIAB CUF before starting his own private agronomy consulting firm.  Mark has presented in PEI before and has a great knowledge of potatoes, especially irrigation, compaction, and soil health.  In this podcast, we dig into the state of potato research and agronomy in the UK as well as what some of the biggest challenges are for British growers and how they are working together to meet those challenges.

In this episode of SpudChat, Ryan talks with Dr. Mario Tenuta from the University of Manitoba about Potato Early Dying complex (PED).  Mario was the lead for Canadian Potato Early Dying Network (CanPEDNet) project as part of the FVGC National Cluster for the last five year, and included research happening here in PEI.  They talk about some of the key findings from the research project, as well as where we go from here in terms of managing the disease.

In this episode of SpudChat, we hear from Greg Donald, General Manager of the PEI Potato Board from a presentation Greg made at the 2023 PEI Potato Conference.  Greg provides an update on the ongoing potato wart investigation, the results of the International Panel report on potato wart in PEI, and how this informs the path forward toward resuming seed shipments from the Island to the rest of Canada and beyond.

This episode features another of our presenters from the 2023 PEI Potato Conference in Summerside on February 13th.  Today, we hear from Anne Verhallen of OMAFRA in Ridgetown, Ontario, talking about practical approaches to soil health.  Anne is a well-renowned expert on cover cropping and soil health improvement, working primarily with horticulture crop producers in South-Western Ontario.  Anne discusses some of the results of trials that indicate how producers can prioritize soil health in a number of ways, but also shares the perspectives of some of the producers she works with.

On this bonus episode of SpudChat, we're pleased to share an episode of the Tuber Talk podcast from Potatoes in Canada that was recorded in late 2022.  In this episode, Ryan Barrett talks about research and extension projects on cover crops and improving soil health in potato rotations with Bree Rhody.You can find Tuber Talk at https://www.potatoesincanada.com/podcast-category/tuber-talk/ or in your normal podcast platform.

This week on SpudChat, we bring you the audio from another of our presentations at the PEI Potato Conference in Summerside on February 13th, 2023.  In this episode, we hear from Dr. Claudia Goyer of AAFC in Fredericton, NB.  Claudia has been leading a national research project into common scab for the past five years, investigating both the populations of the bacteria that cause common scab as well as potential treatment options for potatoes.

SpudChat is back!  Over the next couple of weeks, we're sharing some of the presentations from the 2023 PEI Potato Conference, held in Summerside on February 13th.  First up is Dr. Mathuresh Singh of Agricultural Certification Services in Fredericton, NB to talk about PVY and why it was such a problem in 2022.  Mathuresh covers a number of reasons why PVY levels might be so elevated from last season, including the appearance of green peach aphids, changes in varieties, changes in grower demographics, and changes in field management.  We're also including some of the questions at the end of the presentation.To follow along with Mathuresh's presentation slide deck, go to the PEI Potato Agronomy Site, under Seminars/Presentations.

This week, Ryan talks with Dr. Andrew McKenzie-Gopsill, Weed Scientist with AAFC Charlottetown about a range of weed-related topics, including herbicide rotation and efficacy, herbicide timing, and some of the interesting cultural and mechanical weed seed destruction research that Andrew is working on.

On this episode of SpudChat, Ryan Barrett provides and update on the crop following the first Crop Update Meeting of the year, hosted by the PEI Dept of Ag.  Recorded July 7th, 2022.

In this episode of SpudChat, Ryan Barrett walks through some of the funding available for farmers under the On Farm Climate Action Fund, administered in PEI by the PEI Federation of Agriculture.Full details available at www.peifa.ca/ofcaf

SpudChat is back with a new episode, and this week we bring back the grower check-in, where we talk with PEI potato farmers from across the province to hear how things went this planting season, and what's new for this year.This week, Ryan is joined by Jonathan MacLennan from West Cape, Chris MacAulay from Chepstow, and Andrew Lawless from Shamrock.

In this episode of SpudChat, Ryan talks with Michele Konschuh from the International Potato Tech Expo in Charlottetown about irrigation management following her presentation on March 30th.  Michele is an irrigated crop researcher with the University of Lethbridge.

In this episode SpudChat, Ryan talks with Mark Pavek of Washington State University about his research and extension projects, including variety management projects involving newer varieties like Clearwater Russet and Mountain Gem Russet that were developed in the Columbia Basin but are now finding adoption here in Prince Edward Island.

In this episode, Ryan talks with Dr. David Burton of the Dalhousie Faculty of Agriculture about nitrogen in potato rotations.  Dave has been doing multiple projects looking at better quantifying the nitrogen in PEI soils as well as how producers can better dial-in nitrogen use, including use of enhanced efficiency nitrogen fertilizers.

In this episode of SpudChat, Ryan is joined by David Jones, Programs Manager with Canadian Potato Council in Ottawa.  David gives an overview of the things that the CPC does for Canadian potato growers, including responding to continual pesticide reviews by PMRA.  This week, we dig into the newly announced proposed decision to cancel uses of chlorothalonil and how PEI growers can have their voices heard as part of the review process.

In this episode of SpudChat, we talk to Dr. Christine Noronha, a research entomologist with AAFC in Charlottetown.  We talk about the great work Christine and other have been doing on wireworm IPM strategies as well as a couple of other insect pests in potato production.

SpudChat is back, and we're talking about pink rot with Jeff Miller of Miller Research in Rupert, Idaho. 

We cap off our three week focus on cover crops by talking to Dr. Laura Van Eerd, Professor and researcher with the University of Guelph at Ridgetown College in Southwestern Ontario.  Ryan talks with Laura about her long-term cover crop research and some of the exciting findings from those trials so far.   More on Dr. Van Eerd's research can be found at https://soilsatguelph.ca/After this week, SpudChat will be taking a short break for a few weeks during the harvest season while we get all of our grower trials harvested.  Talk soon!

On this episode of SpudChat, Ryan talks to Dr. Judith Nyiraneza with Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada in Charlottetown about some of her research projects, including cover cropping, building soil health and fertility through rotation crops, measuring the effect of manure in potato rotations, as well as her recent research into improving phosphorus management in PEI.

On this episode of SpudChat, Ryan talks with Peter "Wheat Pete" Johnson, an agronomist, farmer and podcaster from Ontario to talk about the agronomy of winter cereals, as growers start ramping up cover cropping this fall.  They also chat about some ways to avoid soil compaction as we head into the harvest season.You can listen to Wheat Pete's World every week at RealAgriculture or wherever you get your podcasts.

On this week's SpudChat, we talk with the king of Canadian ag podcasting, Shaun Haney of RealAgriculture.  We talk about how he started his ag media business, how he enjoys reaching out to farmers of all types across Canada, and some of the newer podcasts and features that he and his team are working on.  RealAgRadio, the Agronomists, and other podcasts are available wherever you get podcasts!

On this episode of SpudChat, Ryan provides a quick update on the crop and a look ahead at the two remaining AIM Field Tours coming up on Tuesday, September 7th.  

This week, the Grower Check-In is back for August.  Ryan talks with Morgan Smallman of J & J Smallman Farms near O'Leary, Kevin Murray of Murray Farms in Bedeque, and Myles Rose of RA Rose & Sons of North Lake to hear how the crop is looking across the province.

On this episode, we again have an update on the status of the crop across the province following our bi-weekly scouting meeting.  Joining me this week are Lorraine MacKinnon and Eileen Beaton with the PEI Dept of Agriculture & Land and Morgan MacNeil with the PEI Potato Board.  Generally, the crop is looking good in PEI and growers are positive, but still a few things to pay attention to as we move into tuber bulking stage.

In this week's episode of SpudChat, we once again get a review of the bi-weekly scouting meeting with Lorraine MacKinnon of the PEI Department of Agriculture and Land.  Thankfully, reports have been very positive with few reports of disease or pest issues.  We talk a little bit about dealing with wet spots, thinking about pink rot, and other topics.

In this episode of SpudChat, we talk with Emily Murphy, a PhD Candidate at UBC who is working with the East Prince Agri-Environment Association as part of their research in using willow trees to prevent nutrients from moving to groundwater as well as sequestering carbon.  Emily will talk a bit about willows and how they could fit for many types of potato fields.

We've convened our panel after the biweekly Fieldworkers Meeting again.  This time, Ryan is joined by Lorraine MacKinnon with the PEI Dept of Agriculture & Land as well as Dr. Christine Noronha, entomologist with AAFC in Charlottetown.  We talk about european corn borer control, an explosion of earwigs, healthy and vigorous looking crops, and volunteer control.

What better time to talk to potato growers than after some rain!  This week on SpudChat, we check in with three potato growers from across PEI to hear how the crop is looking and what's new on their farms this year.  We talk to Marshall Smallman of Smallman Farms in Knutsford, Matt Ramsay of Oyster Cove Farms in Hamilton and Ben Visser of GWR Visser Farms in Orwell.  

On this edition of SpudChat, we've convened a panel of PEI potato experts to review some of the comments we heard as part of the first biweekly fieldworkers meeting as well as our own observations of the crop.  Joining Ryan this week are Lorraine MacKinnon with the PEI Department of Agriculture and Land; Steve Watts, agronomist with Genesis Crop Systems; and Greg Donald, General Manager of the PEI Potato Board.

In this episode of SpudChat, we talk with Don Jardine, a researcher/instructor/consultant with the University of Prince Edward Island's Climate Lab.  Don is working with their team to install a number of new weather stations across the province in an effort to more accurately capture the regional variability in climate that we see in PEI as well as hopefully improve forecasts in the future.

For this month's Grower Check-In, we talk to Bryan Maynard of FarmBoys Inc. in Arlington, Gordon McKenna of Country View Farms in Newton, and Chris MacAulay of MacAulay Farms in Chepstow to talk about how planting went, how the crop is looking, and anything new on the farm this season.  

In this episode of SpudChat, Ryan is talking about some of the trials that are underway looking at the effect of different rotation crops on improving soil health and suppressing soil borne diseases, including potato early dying. 

In this episode of SpudChat, we talk to Dr. Mathuresh Singh of Agricultural Certification Services in Fredericton, New Brunswick.  Mathuresh and his team have been working on research into Potato Virus Y (PVY) over the last decade, providing a great deal of recommendations for seed growers on how to prevent the spread of PVY in their fields.  We chat about some of his past research findings and how that has been implemented on the farm in New Brunswick and beyond.

In this episode of SpudChat, we talk with Mary Kay Sonier, Seed Coordinator at the PEI Potato Board, about all things seed potatoes.  Specifically, we talk about variety evaluation and some promising new varieties in PEI, managing PVY, and a bunch of other seed-related topics.  For more on many of these topics, visit www.peipotatoagronomy.com for factsheets, presentations and more.

For this edition of SpudChat, we do our first Grower Check-In with Prince Edward Island potato growers across the province.  We learn about three different farms, get an update on how planting is going, and what these growers are doing differently on their farms in 2021.  This week we talk with Jonathan MacLennan of MacLennan Properties in West Cape; Brandon MacPhail of MacSull Farms in New London; and Becky Townshend of Townshend Potato Company in Rollo Bay West.Recorded on May 24th, 2021.

In this week's episode of SpudChat, we talk with Dr. Claudia Goyer, plant pathologist with Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada in Fredericton, NB about common scab, the old nemesis of potato farmers everywhere.  We talk about how common scab happens and some of the reasons why it is such a challenge to control.  We also talk about Claudia's research as part of the national Potato Cluster research project on common scab, including some promising new results using a conventional product.Check out www.peipotatoagronomy.com for more info on common scab and any of the topics we discuss.

In this episode of SpudChat, we talk to Sebastian Ibarra of the PEI Department of Agriculture & Land to talk about Integrated Pest Management and some of the different IPM programs available from the Department. For more about the PEIDAL programs, visit: https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/information/agriculture-and-land/beneficial-management-practices-sub-program