Latest news with #Phytophthorainfestans
Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Cross-border research project to tackle potato blight
Scientists from UCC and Aberystwyth University will be collaborating on research to fight a disease that causes major crop losses and blight in potatoes. It was one of eight cross-border research collaborations to be awarded funding as part of a prestigious new Research Alliance Award, announced by the Welsh and Irish governments. Thanks to the new research grant, scientists from University College Cork (UCC) and Aberystwyth University's Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences and Department of Life Sciences will be allowed to work on new ways to tackle the disease Phytophthora infestans, also known as the 'Plant Destroyer'. This disease causes significant crop losses worldwide, including causing blight in potatoes, which has major economic and food security implications. Professor John Doonan, director of the National Plant Phenomics Centre at IBERS and co-lead on the project, said: 'This award recognises the power of international collaboration in solving global agricultural challenges. Phytophthora infestans continues to threaten food production systems across Europe. "By combining our expertise in AI, Prof. Luis Mur's expertise in metabolomics with plant pathology researchers in Cork, we aim to build the foundations of a long-term research partnership that can develop sustainable solutions that reduce the need for chemical disease control.' The Ireland-Wales partnership is funded by the Wales Innovation Network (WIN) and Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland, as part of a strategic effort to deepen academic collaboration and enhance access to Horizon Europe, the EU's flagship funding programme for research and innovation. Announcing the awards, minister for further and higher education, research, innovation and science, James Lawless, said: 'The Research Alliance Award highlights the strong ties between Ireland and Wales and the immense potential of our academic communities working together. "By investing in these innovative projects, we are paving the way for groundbreaking discoveries and solutions that will benefit both our countries and the wider European community. We look forward to seeing how these collaborations develop into larger-scale initiatives that deliver real-world impact.' The seed funding will support project activities for up to 12 months, including researcher exchanges, joint workshops, and preparatory work for future European funding applications. Other projects funded under the scheme span areas such as neurodegenerative disease, AI for seizure detection, freshwater clean-up, and next-generation batteries. Aberystwyth University is one of four Welsh institutions participating in the programme, alongside Cardiff, Swansea, and Bangor universities. The partner universities in Ireland are University College Dublin, University of Limerick, University College Cork, and Dublin City University. Read More Dig deep or not at all? Why it might be time to think about shallow ploughing
RTÉ News
30-05-2025
- Science
- RTÉ News
7 things you probably didn't know about the humble spud
Analysis: some lesser-known biological, cultural and scientific facts about the vegetable most closely associated with this island (1) The South America connection The Incas of South America cultivated around 250 different species of potato. Today, in most parts of the world, we cultivate just one species – Solanum tuberosum - and it is the third most consumed food crop in the world, after rice and wheat, with over 300 million metric tons being produced globally every year. In South America, over 4,000 different varieties of potato are grown and they are very well adapted to their native region. Many of the most important potato pests and diseases are also native to South America. The Potato Cyst Nematodes and the late blight causal agent Phytophthora infestans are two of the most significant threats to potato production and global food security to originate in South America. The good news is that many potato varieties in South America show some resistance to these pests and diseases so are potential sources of genetic resistance which can be used for breeding new resistant varieties. (2) Spuds and sex Potato is one of the most important vegetatively propagated crops in the world. New plants are usually grown from a potato tuber (or piece of one) called a "seed potato". They are not seeds at all, of course, as they are not the product of sexual reproduction. New plants grown from these "seeds" are genetically identical to the parent plant. This means that potato varieties, such as Golden Wonder and Kerr's Pink, can be maintained in the absence of genetic diversity. From RTÉ Radio 1's Mooney Goes Wild, Eanna ni Lamhna pays homage to the variety of Irish potatoes Potatoes do produce real seeds via their flowers and varieties can produce berries that contain hundreds of seeds. As these real seeds are the product of sexual reproduction, they are not genetically identical to the parent plant so can be a potential source of genetic variation for potato breeding programmes. These real seeds are very important for breeding new potato varieties with greater resistance to a changing climate as well as novel pests and diseases. (3) Ireland and the potato: it's complicated No other food or ingredient symbolises the complexities of Irish food culture more than the potato. As a New World introduction, the ways and means of how it came to Ireland remain unclear with historical realties blurred by romanticised tales and myths of Sir Walter Raleigh and the Spanish Armada (stories claim that the ships' stocks of potatoes were washed up onto Irish stores). The potato had arrived in Ireland by the first decade of the 17th century (if not before) and was initially cultivated as a garden exotic with recipes from Irish country houses revealing its use in ingredient-rich and flavour-intense potato pies. With time, the potato leapt the garden wall becoming a crop of the fields. By the early 19th century, it was the main dietary staple of the rural poor displacing older carbohydrates like oats. The potato has given Ireland traditional, festive and regional dishes like boxty dishes and potato-oaten and potato-apple cakes. From RTÉ Radio 1's CountryWide, Suzanne Campbell reports on how the DNA testing of potatoes being labelled and sold in Donegal as Queens which were in fact a different variety At best, it is the symbol of a simple Irish approach to cooking, but at worst, it is also the symbol of a debased and insecure food system of 19th century Ireland. In recent times, the potato's standing as Ireland's main dietary carbohydrate has been challenged by increased consumption of pasta and rice, especially amongst younger generations. (4) The floury spud The Irish palate favours dry "mealy" potatoes above varieties with waxy-textured flesh and the most popular potatoes here are those with soft and floury texture. In the pre-Famine period, varieties like the Irish Apple commanded good prices above the prevalent and poor quality Lumper potato that dominated the diet of the rural poor. In the post-Famine period, the cultivation of a new variety, the Champion (1862) increased rapidly in part because of its floury texture and nutty aroma and it remained Ireland's most popular potato until into the 1930s. From RTÉ Lyric FM, History On A Plate looks at the life and times of the Irish potato Today, the main commercial varieties like the Rooster and Kerr's Pink can be cooked in a variety of ways. The continued appeal of these floury varieties is a reminder that we assigned commercial, economic and culinary importance to varieties that worked well with other traditional staples like butter, milk and cream. (5) A potato party The complimentary relationship between floury potatoes and dairy produce gave rise to a number of traditional potatoes dishes. These included colcannon (mashed potatoes with butter, milk/cream, cabbage or kale), champ (mashed potatoes with butter, milk/cream, spring onions, or nettles or peas) and poundies (plain mashed potatoes with butter, milk or cream). The socio-economic realties of pre-Famine Ireland made access to expensive floury-potato varieties and butter and cream beyond the means of the rural poor. However, money was spent or goods exchanged in accessing these items to make rich mashed dishes for festive and celebration days and colcannon and champ were made for St Brigid's Day and Hallowe'en. At Hallowe'en, colcannon or champ was the main festive meal and it was also used in the ritual performances of young women in divining their future marriage and love affairs. From RTÉ Archives, the Irish Farmers Association sent 500 tonnes of potatoes to Ethiopia in 1984 and Irish potatoes are now being grown there, reports Michael Lally for RTÉ News (6) The genetics of the spud The most complete potato genome sequence to date has just been published by a group of scientists in Holland. The implication for the research community and, ultimately, the consumer is huge. What the sequence allows us to do is to use genetic data to help us to continue to improve the potato plant using tools that are much faster than traditional breeding methods, tools such as genetic engineering or more recently genome editing. No nation can afford to be complacent when it comes the security of food as economic and climate-based factors can cause massive disturbances to the sector. We know that the potato can address many of the food security issues under threat from growing urbanisation, the emergence of novel pathogens, changing climates, increasing populations, land and water use. The original home of the potato is the Americas and the wild potato here is a hardy species (more than 155 wild species are found). The ability of the wild potato to thrive in varied ecosystems and its ability to resist a number of diseases gives us hope that important disease-resistant genes can be found in these wild relatives. This repository is also an excellent source for future genes for the improvement of our domestic varieties, whether by traditional breeding methods or by utilising the more recent biotech tools. (7) The future of cooking spuds While potatoes have been cooked as a staple in Irish households for centuries, they are today at the forefront of application of very novel advanced food processing technologies. A process called Pulsed Electric Field treatment involves passing electric fields through food to inactivate bacteria and modify cellular structure and is being applied to create crisps and chips. This gives potatoes improved cutting properties and greatly reduced oil uptake during cooking, giving healthier products with great textures. In addition, there has been great interest in the development of 3D printed snacks and food products that are based on the ability of potato starch to produce interesting structures and shapes.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
How to tackle new strains of potato blight and avoid another great famine
A new aggressive potato blight strain was detected in Wales and eastern Scotland earlier this year. The strain, identified as EU 46, can withstand certain fungicides, making it harder to control. It serves as a stark reminder that nearly 175 years after Ireland's great famine, this destructive pathogen continues to evolve and endanger crops around the world. Each year, farmers lose an estimated US$6–7 billion (£4.5-5.2 billion) worth of crops due to this disease. In Europe alone, direct losses and control costs amount to over €1 billion (£800 million) annually. That includes the cost of expensive fungicide sprays that farmers rely on for protection. In developing countries, the stakes are even higher. Many smallhold farmers lack resources for intensive disease management. In Uganda, potato blight can destroy up to 100% of a farmer's crop, endangering livelihoods and local food security. Just as in the Irish famine, dependence on a single crop is risky. When blight strikes these vulnerable communities, the consequences can be devastating. Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK's latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences. After decades of research, blight remains hard to defeat, partly due to the pathogen's remarkable adaptability. Over the years, Phytophthora infestans (late blight) has repeatedly evolved new genetic strains that overcome both chemical fungicides and the resistant potato varieties bred to fend it off. The newly identified EU 46 strain is just one example of how quickly blight can develop resistance. In this case, tolerating a key fungicide and showing reduced sensitivity to others. Meanwhile, environmental changes and global trade create opportunities for wind-blown spores to migrate into new regions. All of this means farmers must remain vigilant; what worked against blight last year might not work today. After the Irish famine of the 1840s, science eventually identified its microscopic culprit and ways to fight it, but innovation didn't stop there. Today, researchers and farmers are enlisting cutting-edge technology to stay ahead of blight. One promising tool is real-time spore detection. Devices like the SwisensPoleno, a monitor developed in Switzerland, can constantly scan the air on farms and spot signs of P. infestans spores as they appear. In Ireland, I'm leading a project testing this technology out on farms. These sensors rely on advanced imaging and AI to tell blight spores apart from other particles, giving farmers an early warning so they can act before the disease spreads. Equally, new rapid DNA diagnostics can detect blight more quickly than traditional lab tests which take days to identify new strains. Portable testing kits are bringing diagnostics to the field. My colleagues and I have developed a simple in-field test (like COVID-19 lateral flow tests) that detects specific blight strains from a crushed leaf or air samples in under 30 minutes. Such tests not only confirm the presence of blight but can tell if the strain is one known to resist certain fungicides. This information allows farmers to choose the right treatment immediately, targeting the pathogen's weaknesses and avoiding wasted effort. Farmers are also using data and computer modelling to anticipate outbreaks of the disease allowing them to act before it can takes hold. Sophisticated forecasting systems crunch weather data (temperature, humidity, rainfall) and spore counts to predict when and where blight is likely to strike next. By pinpointing high-risk periods, these models help schedule fungicide applications more strategically – only when needed, rather than on a fixed calendar. This not only cuts costs and environmental damage by reducing unnecessary sprays, but also slows down resistance development in the pathogen. Defeating potato blight demands international efforts. There's no wonder drug or magic gene that can eliminate this ever-changing pathogen. Like other experts, I advocate for an integrated pest-management approach. This combines cultural practices (like crop rotation and destroying infected plant debris) alongside biological controls (naturally occurring microbes, like beneficial bacteria, to help suppress the disease and limit its impact on crops). Judicious fungicide use to reduce the chances of blight taking hold is also effective. Using technology to leverage real-time data enables farmers to act on early warnings and apply treatments in a targeted way, preserving yields while minimising environmental damage. Investing in research and farmer education is essential too – from developing resistant potato breeds to training farmers in remote areas on how to use new diagnostic kits. The fight against potato blight is global by necessity. An airborne spore originating in one country can hop to another on the wind, as Europe's experience shows. Likewise, breakthroughs in one lab or farm – whether a new sensor, a resistant potato variety, or an effective organic spray – need to be shared and supported across borders. International initiatives are putting the latest blight-fighting tools into the hands of farmers around the world. Supporting smallhold farmers in developing countries is especially vital, because they often face blight with limited resources and far more is at stake in terms of food security. In the mid-19th century, Ireland's potato-dependent society was caught tragically off guard. Today, we have knowledge, technology and hard-earned lessons on our side. By embracing an integrated, technology driven strategy and ensuring it reaches farmers everywhere, that blight cycle could be broken. The continued emergence of strains like EU 46 is a warning, but also a call to action. One that we are now better equipped than ever to answer. Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation's environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who've subscribed so far. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. David O'Connor receives funding from Research Ireland and Irish EPA.
