Potato Review

24 POTATO REVIEW JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2023 VARIETIES S EVEN varieties were in the spotlight at this year’s HZPC Potato Days. Dubbed the ‘SPOTatoes’, all are proving to be promising sustainable varieties, according to the Dutch company. More than 1,000 people attended this year’s event in Joure, including a mix of packers, processors, fresh, growers and industry suppliers from all over the world. Communications Advisor Jeanine Develing said: “It was very nice to see everybody physically again - to really meet our partners and drink a co ee instead of two years online. Still we o ered the webinar, for the people ( for example China/Ukraine/ etc) who weren’t able to travel.” Hosts of the two-day event, Annemarie van Campen and Gerard Backx (CEO of HZPC) said everyone involved in the potato industrymust work together across the sector to nd future solutions, and a strong emphasis was put on the cultivation of sustainable seed and table varieties. “After all, in the ght against hunger and climate change, there is no time to waste.” In the opening presentation, HZPC’s Marketing Manager Michiel ten Duis introduced everyone to the ‘superpowers’ of the sustainable varieties Camelia and Quintera. Camelia is a variety that combines robust disease resistance with long storability and high marketable yields. In its presentation on the day, the company described this variety as “strong by nature”. Quintera is another robust variety with big ‘blocky’ tubers in a uniform shape. It o ers a particularly high resistance to Yn-virus as well as good resistance to spraing. “Quintera never lets you down,” the audience was told. e other four varieties included Columba, Rashida, Memphis, Norman and the evolving HOM 13-8236 variety. Columba is high-yielding and easy to both grow and store, while o ering good resistance to common scab. With an attractive bright skin, it matures early and has early tuberization. “It can be the star in several kinds of tasteful dishes!” those present were told. Rashida meanwhile is a strong variety that can be grown under many di erent circumstances. High yielding, it has good dry matter content, o ers good resistance to common and powdery scab, and has an attractive, bright skin. e Memphis variety produces large tubers, and a good solution for those seeking high- yielding reds. A robust variety, it o ers good overall resistance to pests. Norman was described as the perfect crisp variety, while being highly suitable for early harvest and o ering good yields. is variety has high dry matter content with early maturity and tuberisation. Also soon to be unveiled is the HOM 13- 8236 variety, which is described as leading a new generation of potato varieties that have great yields and can be grown with little use of chemicals. e company has high expectations of this variety. While initially it had limitations, including no resistance to wart disease and a short dormancy period, these de ciencies were expected to be resolved with new generations of the variety. e event featured a keynote presentation by Katrien Descheemaeker, Professor of Plant Production Systems at Wageningen University & Research (WUR), and a panel discussion with Andries Middag (CEO Vavi), Elisabete Coutinho (packer at CALCOB in Portugal) and Robert Graveland (director HZPC Research) on the topic of drought. ose wishing for more details, can watch the company’s webinar here: www.hzpc.com/pd22 . SPOTatoes put a strong emphasis on sustainability The Magnificent Seven