In Målselv municipality in Troms, Olav Grundnes is one of the region’s largest potato farmers. Here he has 400 acres of fields and produces 1000 tons of potatoes a year. But if a tiny pest comes down in the field, it could mean the hook on the door for the farmer. – It will take a very long time from the time you get it in until it becomes a problem. But then it becomes a big problem, he says to news. The problem he is talking about is called potato cyst nematode, or just potato tolerance in good Norwegian – There is one thing we do not want to bring in here on the farm. POTATO FARMER: Olav Grundnes is one of Northern Norway’s largest producers of potatoes. If he gets potato tolerance in the field, it can have major consequences. Photo: Arild Moe Norwegian invention The small roundworm is one of the main problems for potato farmers. In Norway, areas in Østfold, Rogaland, Agder and Trøndelag have the greatest prevalence of the pest, according to the Norwegian Food Safety Authority. Further south on the continent, the problem is significantly greater. But now a couple of researchers at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences NMBU on Ås may have found a solution. It’s as simple as it is ingenious. Can destroy 90 percent But first we must understand how the potato weevil lives. The roundworm is formed inside the shell of the mother. And here it can lie dormant for up to 40 years. There it can lie and be spread from farm to farm and from country to country through used farm equipment or infected seed potatoes. It is only when the potato stalk feels the “smell” of the potato nearby that it comes off the skin and begins to eat on the tubers. In the worst case, up to 90 percent of the crop can be destroyed. And this is where the researchers come into the picture. RESEARCHER: Yngve Stenstrøm has been working for seven years on the idea of a remedy for potato blight. Photo: Alexander Benjaminsen / NMBU Entice the pests They now believe they have made a substance that mimics the smell of potatoes. – If we can lure the eel out of the cyst, without there being a potato nearby, then it is without protection and can die in a short time, says Yngve Stenstrøm. He is a professor at NMBU and has for the past seven years worked with colleague Jens MJ Nolsøe to solve the problem of potato sprouts. It was Forskning.no that first mentioned the project. The product is made from natural substances, and is not toxic to humans, animals or plants. – If you go for a walk in nature yourself, you will be able to breathe in some of these things. We put it together in a way that seems to work. In the past, poison has been used against potato potatoes, but this has been banned. – After that, there have been no good remedies for potato tolerance, he says. Farmers have left after discoveries Arne Vagle works as a subject leader for potatoes and cereals in the Norwegian Agricultural Council. He says he has received the research at NMBU, and is following developments closely. – Can this make life easier for potato farmers in Norway? – Yes absolutely! Everyone who is diagnosed with the pest in the field is banned from growing potatoes. This applies until you can prove that the potato stalk is gone. But since it can lie dormant for up to 40 years, the waiting time can be long. – For those affected, there are some who have chosen to stop using potatoes, says Vagle. POTATO EXPERT: Arne Vagle is the subject leader for potatoes and cereals in the Norwegian Agricultural Council. Photo: Marte Skodje / news New trials this summer The researchers are aware that there are still a number of trials and tests before the drug can be used on a large scale. Among other things, you must apply for a patent on the product. – Exactly the idea we have we feel is quite unique. The work itself is groundbreaking work, but there is still a way to go, says Stenstrøm. The idea is that the agent can be sprayed on the potato field to clean it of the pests. – We hope that we can lower the quarantine period to one year. The alternative is that you can not grow anything on that land for 15-20 years in the future. – Fantastic Despite the fact that the problem with potato eels is less in the three northernmost counties, potato farmer Grundnes is very careful to take precautions. – It is clear that we are very careful. We prefer not to buy used equipment from other areas and only use new, state-controlled seed potatoes. We do not take anything in return that has been in the packaging. And when we walk in fields in other parts of the country, we use foot bags and follow general infection rules. He says it would have major consequences if he had to stop growing potatoes in his fields. – A lot of resources are spent on this issue, both in Norway and Europe. – So if this remedy should prove to be effective, it will be fantastic, he says.
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Researchers at NMBU may have solved a pest problem with potatoes – news Nordland
