CERTIFIED SEED POTATOES

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25549, 17 July 1948, Page 5

CERTIFIED SEED POTATOES

CANTERBURY AREA NOW 6000 ACRES No aspect of the New Zealand seed certification scheme has been more successful than the certification of seed potatoes, with which the scheme started many years ago. Practically all commercial crops are now grown from certified seed, or seed once removed from certification, as Mr R. P. Connell, Fields Superintendent of the Department of Agriculture, said in a review of the season this week. In addition, there are now few home gardeners who do not insist on certified seed. Mr Connell said that 6110 acres were entered for certification this season, and of these 5418 acres were passed. This total is about three times the area of a few years ago, and represented more than 600 growers. “As in previous years, Aucklander Short Ttop is much the most popular, representing slightly more than onethird of the total,” said Mr Connell. “It was the most popular variety in every Canterbury district, except Waimate, where Arran Chief easily beat it. Arran Banner ranked next in popularity to Aucklander Short Top, this being due mainly to the popularity fo Arran Banner in the Christchurch district, where it was almost as popular as Aucklander Short Top. Arran Chief comes third in popularity, solely because of its popularity in the Waimate district, where approximately eight out of 10 acres under certification consist of Arran Chief. Dakota was considerably popular, mainly because of its substantial use in Christchurch. but it is also well represented in North Canterbury and in the Ashburton district. Aucklander Tall Top gets fairly solid support in the Christchurch district. North Canterbury and Ashburton. . Of the early varieties, Epicure and Jersey Bennes are easily the most important, the former being slightly the more popular. “In all, 27 varieties are grown under certification. Some of these are old favourites, for instance, Up-to-date. Some are of importance in other districts, like Northern Star, and some are relatively new. like Sebago. “The Christchurch district, which is the country between the Waimakariri and Rakaia rivers, is easily the most important district for potato certification, and represents more than half the total Canterbury acreage, but South Canterbury, inclusive of Waimate, is also quite important, having more than 1600 acres passed for certification during the current year.

“Last year 608 growers grew 1269 lines of seed potatoes and they werg scattered through the potato growing districts of Canterbury. The effort has been similar in recent previous years, and it may be said that virtually all commercial potatoes in Canterbury to-day are grown from certified seed or from seed so closely related to certified as to be nearly as good.”