Silver scurf in potatoes is today a primary concern for growers, breeders, investigators and allied industries. The most effective method to control it and prevent its outbreak in storage is fungicide treatment. But there is a growing interest in protecting the environment, and communities worldwide demand fewer fungicides and put…

Frontiers in Plant Science published in 2017 the article Assuring Potato Tuber Quality during Storage: A Future Perspective. Due to the importance of its content, I offer a more accessible version to the general public. Introduction Potatoes represent a vital staple food crop across the planet. To maintain their quality and…

Using a new tool, small-scale farmers can now know what kind of fungicide to use and when and how often to apply it. — Small-scale potato farmers in developing countries use fungicides to control late blight, increasing production costs and exposing their health by applying the toxins without protection. They are often unsure of which type of fungicide to use (systemic or contact) and the appropriate time to use it. A low-cost tool helps…

Empleando una nueva herramienta, los pequeños productores ahora pueden saber qué clase de fungicida utilizar y cuándo y con qué frecuencia aplicarlo. — Los pequeños agricultores de papa de los países en desarrollo usan fungicidas para controlar al tizón tardío, aumentando los costos de producción y exponiendo su salud al aplicarlos sin protección. Además, a menudo tienen dudas para escoger el tipo de fungicida a emplar (sistémico o de contacto) y el momento…

Groundwater is the water below the earth’s surface, held in or moving through layers of soil, sediment, or rock. It maintains wetlands and river flow and supports biodiversity. It is also a source for municipal water supplies, private water supplies, and crop irrigation. Groundwater is an invaluable resource that communities…

Páramo Farms and Páramo Snacks have joined forces to add value to the vegetables and native potato species grown by ASOARCE (Asociación de Productores Agroecológicos del Pantano de Arce). This partnership is testing oil-free baked potato chips and vacuum-packed potatoes and vegetables in a controlled atmosphere. This article describes the…

ASOARCE recently received a grant for its innovative method of applying scientific and technological knowledge in the recovery of the Andean forest of the Páramo de Guerrero. The grant was awarded by the Administrative Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (Colciencias) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through its Small…

Versión en español Have you scouted your potato crop without touching it physically? If so, congratulations. You are a user of remote sensing. If you haven’t, do not worry. It is a good time to start. And if you had a bad experience with this technology, give it a second…

English Version Has estudiado tu cultivo de papa sin tocarlo físicamente? Felicitaciones. Eres usuario de la teledetección. Si aun no lo eres, tranquilo, es un buen momento para hacerlo. Y si tuviste una mala experiencia con sus resultados, dale una segunda oportunidad. Hoy las compañías de teledetección permiten sacar el…