Using your own seed potatoes

[Bob Hobden]

We seldom reuse our own potatoes as seed potatoes but some on our site
always replant their old potatoes year on year. They grow a lot of
potatoes! One has recently moved plots because the old one was worked
out yet since they moved the weed growth has been superb. Could it be
the old potatoes picking up some virus? How many times dhould you use
your own seed potatoes?

[Jeff Layman]

Post by Bob Hobden
We seldom reuse our own potatoes as seed potatoes but some on our site
always replant their old potatoes year on year. They grow a lot of
potatoes! One has recently moved plots because the old one was worked
out yet since they moved the weed growth has been superb. Could it be
the old potatoes picking up some virus? How many times dhould you use
your own seed potatoes?

I don't grow potatoes, but isn't the "worked out" more likely to be
phosphate deficiency rather than anything else?
<https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/05/2250.pdf>

I can't see it being a virus as that would have to affect the foliage in
order for it to be spread around (via greenfly, etc). A virus which
attacked only the root would soon find itself isolated to and die out.

Weeds by their nature can grow just about anywhere the nutrition meets
their minimum requirements. I would assume that they are more soil
nitrogen dependent for their quick growth than phosphate dependent. And
they'd require potassium to flower and fruit quickly, but that's another
matter.

[Stewart Robert Hinsley]

Post by Jeff Layman

Post by Bob Hobden
We seldom reuse our own potatoes as seed potatoes but some on our site
always replant their old potatoes year on year. They grow a lot of
potatoes! One has recently moved plots because the old one was worked
out yet since they moved the weed growth has been superb. Could it be
the old potatoes picking up some virus? How many times dhould you use
your own seed potatoes?

I don't grow potatoes, but isn't the "worked out" more likely to be
phosphate deficiency rather than anything else?
<https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/05/2250.pdf>
I can't see it being a virus as that would have to affect the foliage in
order for it to be spread around (via greenfly, etc). A virus which
attacked only the root would soon find itself isolated to and die out.
Weeds by their nature can grow just about anywhere the nutrition meets
their minimum requirements. I would assume that they are more soil
nitrogen dependent for their quick growth than phosphate dependent. And
they'd require potassium to flower and fruit quickly, but that's another
matter.

A virus that affects the foliage, but is also transmitted to the tubers
(the plant has to transfer nutrients to the tubers, which could provide
a vector for virus movement within the plant) would do the trick.

Viruses are the reason given for buying new seed potatoes every year,
rather than saving your own. (Though the specialist producers presumably
have better storage conditions, which would provide another reason.)

I ended up sowing some saved potatoes this year, as I hadn't eaten them,
and they were well sprouted. I haven't weighed the crop, but I'm pretty
sure that it's less than I got on the same ground last year. A volunteer
'Red Duke of York' did quite well.

[N_Cook]

Post by Bob Hobden
We seldom reuse our own potatoes as seed potatoes but some on our site
always replant their old potatoes year on year. They grow a lot of
potatoes! One has recently moved plots because the old one was worked
out yet since they moved the weed growth has been superb. Could it be
the old potatoes picking up some virus? How many times dhould you use
your own seed potatoes?

Alright if you are in Scotland, as for bio-security the climate has to
be cold enough. Perhaps this decade that Scottish inductry will have to
move to Scandinavia, due to climate change.