Development of Potato Technology in
the Republic of Karelia 2007 - 2009
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Development of Potato Technology in the Republic of Karelia 2007 - 2009
Basic information about the project:
2,5 year long combined Tacis-Interreg project, 1/2007–6/2009
Applicant:
Ruukki Unit of Agrifood Research Finland (MTT)
Project partners:
Petrozavodsk State University/Faculty of Agriculture
All-Karelian Information-Advisory Service
Finnish Seed Potato Center Ltd
ProAgria North Karelia
NorTech Oulu/University of Oulu
Implementation area:
Republic of Karelia and Northern Ostrobothnia
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Development of Potato Technology in the Republic of Karelia 2007 - 2009
Project is connected to the priority area 2.2. of the EKNP
• 2.2. Supports actions, which aim to improve
the living conditions of people resident in
the region
• The aim of the project is to develop the
supply of foodstuffs in the Republic of
Karelia, in particular potato
• Improvements through increased
knowledge and international
cooperation
• How can the Finnish expertise in the
potato sector benefit the Karelian
farmers and the whole Republic?
• What does the Finnish side gain
from this cooperation?
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Development of Potato Technology in the Republic of Karelia 2007 - 2009
How to improve the potato yields in the Republic of Karelia?
• More information about the plant diseases needed
 What diseases are found, how can they be controlled?
• Are more disease resistant potato varieties needed?
 Can the local potato varieties be purified, would some Finnish potato
varieties last better in these conditions?
• Not just higher yields, but also higher quality
 More productive potato varieties to be used, which ones are suitable
for Karelia?
 Fertilisation recommendations, right amount of nutrients for the right
potato and the right soil
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Development of Potato Technology in the Republic of Karelia 2007 - 2009
Main actions of the project:
1. Basic seed bank
•
Two potato varieties currently in use in Karelia will be cleaned
using tissue culture method to form
disease free basic seed
•
The suitability of two Finnish potato
varieties to the Karelian production
conditions will be tested
2. Diagnostics and prevention methods
•
The plant disease situation in Karelia
will be charted and recommendations
will be given how to fight them
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Development of Potato Technology in the Republic of Karelia 2007 - 2009
Main actions of the project continued:
3. Otimising the fertilisation and cultivation technology
• Fertilisers will be compared –
are there differences in the yields,
organic vs. chemical
• Fertilisation recommendations
will be made based on these
results
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Development of Potato Technology in the Republic of Karelia 2007 - 2009
Major actions by August 2007
1. Field test was set up
• Two Finnish and two Russian
potato varieties were planted on
a farm close to Petrozavodsk
• Field test contains an area fertilised
with chemical and another one with
organic fertilisers
• Soil analyses were done in Karelia
by the local authorities
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Development of Potato Technology in the Republic of Karelia 2007 - 2009
2. Observations and laboratory analyses have started
• Researchers from PetrSU carry out
weekly observations at the field
• Joint observation and sample
collecting trip was made in July
• Plant material samples and Russian
seed potatoes were examined ín
Karelia by the local authorities prior
the transportation to Finland
• Russian seed potatoes are now
being purified in Finland
• Plant material samples are being
examined also in Finland
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Development of Potato Technology in the Republic of Karelia 2007 - 2009
Experiences and results by August 2007
• At the mercy of the nature – planting of
potatoes can’t wait
• Getting the permissions – and on time
• Getting the people on the same
wavelength – what we are doing and
why?
• Too early to predict the results of the
growth season of 2007
 If the project continues on the same track,
set tasks can be acchieved
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Development of Potato Technology in the Republic of Karelia 2007 - 2009
How will this project contribute to the development of
potato cultivation and economic development in ROK?
-
More information is gathered about the potato plant disease situation in
the pilot farm and in the ROK in general
 Recommendations will be made on how to prevent the spreading of
these and how to fight them
 a publication will be made, the information will be passed to farmers
-
Finnish potato variaties have been tested in Karelian potato production
conditions
 If higher and better yields are achieved and are more disease resistant,
use of Finnish seeds could improve the yields in ROK
-
Russian potato varieties have been purified, farmers can purchase and
plant clean seeds
-
Results of the fertilisation experiment will be made into a publication, the
information will be passed to farmers
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THANK YOU FOR STAYING AWAKE!
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THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!
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