Potato research is firmly en-trenched at the Agriculture Canada Lethbridge Research Centre as production expands in the West.
Yves Plante, associate director, said the centre plans to maintain its scientists and researchers and is seeking to fill another research position dedicated to potato health.
“We are fully committed to maintaining the research activities at the centre here. It’s a huge investment, when we decide to add additional professional scientists to our team. It’s a significant commitment and funding is in place.”
On Feb. 15, the centre’s potato breeding and research department presented 15 new varieties of potatoes for evaluation by the industry.
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Southern Alberta potato production has given rise to establishment of several potato processors over the years. McCain and Lamb Weston have plants, as does Old Dutch and Frito-Lay.
The newest announcement, in December, involved a major ex-pansion by Cavendish Farms, which plans to build a $350 million plant in Lethbridge.
“The movement of potato production from Eastern Canada to Western Canada is industry driven,” said Plante. “I think that the agronomic practices in Western Canada are quite a bit different. We do have good soil. We have capacity to control irrigation. The climate is quite a bit different.
“I think that we can produce quality potatoes with less imprint on the system, which gives a competitive advantage over some other areas, not only in Canada but in North America.”
Terence Hochstein, executive director of the Potato Growers of Alberta, said breeding research is welcome. As for other priorities, he said the PGA is continuing its focus on spore trapping to detect late blight and on insect monitoring to see if psyllids that spread zebra chip disease spread into Alberta.
Hochstein said he is concerned about the future of provincial funding for such research because money through the Alberta Crop Industry Development Fund may not be available beyond spring 2018.
However, Plante said he is confident that federal funding is in place at Lethbridge.
“I think we are in a very good position right now. The relationships that we have with the sectors are very healthy and important, so I’m convinced that dollars will flow from the sectors to support re-search activities.
“I am very, very confident that we’ll be able to maintain significant research activities.”
