Everyone is talking about climate change. We experience the weather with all its extremes every day in our immediate environment. Agriculture, and in particular arable farming, is particularly affected by the effects of climate change. Although the various climate models do not provide consistent statements, it can nevertheless be assumed as certain that temperatures in our latitudes will increase on average. In addition, it should be assumed that there will be longer dry phases and hot days in summer in the future. Extreme weather events will become more frequent, and winters will probably be wetter and milder. The increased precipitation of the winter months may begin as early as fall. This may then result in problems in the fall during harvest and increased soil erosion. Besides late blight, other or new pathogens, such as Alternaria and black dot occur more frequently. In terms of animal pests, it is mainly aphids, but also increasingly spider mites and garden chafer. Seed potato cultivation is becoming more difficult due to higher aphid populations and the resulting increase in viral diseases.
Land Use Risks
The milder winters increase the risk of volunteer potato plants with all the resulting phytosanitary problems. Biodiversity is another topic that is being discussed intensively in the media and in society. Not least since the discussions about the weedkiller glyphosate, everyone is talking about it. Every form of agricultural land use, and regardless of whether it is organic or conventional, has a major impact on biodiversity. In addition, however, site conditions, e.g. climate, agricultural structures, such as the proportion of agricultural land in relation to forest, but also cities and infrastructures, geography or geology, as well as crop rotation, fertilization and plant protection have a not inconsiderable influence on biodiversity. The interactions are very complex and scientific studies on this are largely lacking. In our society, three of the four important pillars of productivity are strictly rejected: plant breeding methods (biotechnology, e.g. Crispr/Cas process), mineral fertilization and chemical plant protection. Only modern agricultural technology is (still) accepted. This particularly affects crop protection-intensive (seed) potato production.
New Cultivation Techniques
For this reason, potato growers throughout Europe are challenged to develop and implement new cultivation techniques. Whereas before 1960 there were around 3 billion people on earth, one in three of whom did not have an adequate supply of food, today the figure is just under 12% for 7.5 billion people. Modern agriculture has never before fed so many people with cheap and high-quality food, and this on an ever-decreasing area (currently about 11% of the land surface) (FAO). According to a study by the University of Louvain, not using pesticides results in crop losses of 42% for potatoes and 19% for wheat.
Advances in Crop Protection
Crop protection products are used according to strict guidelines to protect residents, users, and the environment. Farmers use forecasting models to better predict disease and pest occurrence, apply more accurate treatments, and do so with improved crop protection products at the right dosage and in the right place. In potato cultivation, late blight warning services have been in place for some time. These services are constantly being expanded and adapted, and research is identifying genotypes more precisely, classifying their virulence and thus making it easier to control crop protection and prevent resistance. New, innovative technologies make it possible to apply crop protection products with pinpoint accuracy. This not only allows quantities to be reduced because only parts of the area are treated, but also means that the agents can be applied in a very targeted manner. A large proportion of the new crop protection products approved in Europe are biologically based. Research projects on biological control of diseases in potato cultivation are showing initial success. For example, promising trials are currently underway to control late blight with Bacillus thuringiensis. Potato cultivation has developed rapidly in recent years. Whereas recently weed treatments were carried out on a large scale, mechanical weed control is now increasingly being used. Besides a variety of hoeing equipment, special potato ridger allow growers to control weeds mechanically while building up potato ridges. With the discontinuation of the crop desiccant Diquat, new ways must be sought to remove potato foliage on time and guarantee product quality. Old techniques, such as haulm plucking, are being revived and constantly developed. New approaches are also being taken in potato storage. New biological-based sprout inhibitors, such as mint oil, are being used. Improved cooling technology also helps to keep potatoes longer.
Changing Consumption Habits
Consumption habits have also undergone a major change in recent years and, in some cases, decades. Consumption of fresh ware potatoes, for example, has been declining for years. As incomes and living standards have risen, the consumption of potatoes as a staple food has declined sharply, whereas the proportion of processed potato products has increased significantly. The purchase of fresh ware potatoes in the household sector is becoming increasingly independent of the season. In the past, potatoes were stored in large quantities in the fall. Today, the supply of households tends to go in the direction of washed potatoes of high external quality in small packages intended for immediate consumption. The main reason for this is that households usually no longer have suitable storage facilities due to the lack of cold cellars. In many cases, peeled, packaged potatoes have also been marketed for some time. Specialized peeling companies take over the peeling work and deliver ready-packed potatoes to supermarkets or catering businesses, depending on the direction of utilization, grading and size. Although potato cultivation is undergoing major changes in crop management as well as storage and consumption, the potato remains an important crop for Luxembourg agriculture.