First plantings for field trials in the new, multimillion-pound research project Potato-Lite were made in April at two sites in Shropshire.
The four-year project is seeking ways to reduce the intensity of tillage in potato production through novel machinery and changes to cultivation practices and is supported by funding from Defra and UKRI as part of the Farming Innovation Programme. Tillage operations lead to soil organic carbon being lost in the form of CO2, not only contributing to greenhouse gas emissions but also impacting on soil health.
A team from Harper Adams University took soil samples and measured greenhouse gas levels at both sites before planting went ahead. The trials will quantify the effects of a range of experimental low intensity tillage on crop quality, soil health and greenhouse gas emissions compared to current best practice methods.
Mark Strawson, managing director at potato and root crop grower Strawson, a project consortium member, said: “Climate change disruptions and the need to reduce energy use have brought this work into sharp focus. As such, disruptive innovative solutions are required to directly tackle such challenges while also reducing fuel use and labour costs linked to establishing a potato crop.”
The project is led by PepsiCo. Other consortium members include McCain Foods GB, JRO Griffiths, JM Bubb & Son, and H Sutton & Son as well as Grimme UK, Cranfield University and UK agri-tech centre Crop Health & Protection (CHAP). CHAP innovation technical lead Alex McCormack said the work will improve understanding of the impact of intensive cultivation operations not only on potatoes but also on root vegetable crops.