Potatoes in Practice announces packed programme for 2026 event
Potatoes in Practice, Scotland’s premier field-based potato event, returns to The James Hutton Institute’s Balruddery farm on Thursday 13th August, a week later than usual.
Hosted by the Hutton through the National Potato Innovation Centre (NPIC) in partnership with SRUC and Agrii, the event will bring together growers, researchers, processors and industry experts to share innovations that can help drive the industry forward.
Alongside almost 50 trade exhibitors, visitors will be able to see the National Robotarium’s robot dog, SPOT, in action throughout the day, as well as real dogs from K9 Manhunt and ScentWork Scotland, who are trained to identify diseased potatoes.
“This year’s seminar programme focuses on future-proofing the potato industry and will provide attendees with practical tools and ideas to strengthen productivity, resilience and long-term profitability.”
Professor Ian Toth, Director of the National Potato Innovation Centre
Professor Ian Toth, Director of NPIC, said, “Potatoes in Practice continues to go from strength to strength, with visitor numbers increasing year on year.
“It is the place to connect with everyone involved in potato growing and processing and to gain the knowledge and practical insights needed to navigate the future of this vital crop.
“This year’s seminar programme focuses on future-proofing the potato industry and will provide attendees with practical tools and ideas to strengthen productivity, resilience and long-term profitability.”
A programme of seminars and demonstrations will showcase the latest research, technology and industry developments.
Alex Godfrey, Chair of GB Potatoes, and Gerard Croft, Secretary of the British Potato Trade Association, will present initial findings from the recent Potato Industry Growth Summit, outlining ambitions to deliver 25% profitable growth across the GB potato sector. The session will also examine UK-EU developments and the evolving regulatory landscape for precision breeding technologies.
Researchers Dr James Price of the Hutton and Dr Kerry Leslie of SAC Consulting will share outputs from PCN Action Scotland, the Scottish Government-funded initiative tackling potato cyst nematode (PCN). Drawing on five years of research and grower engagement, they will highlight practical management approaches incorporating resistant varieties, nematicides, cover crops and long-term planning to support sustainable PCN control.
Virus management will also feature prominently, with a session sponsored by the Scottish Society for Crop Research (SSCR) examining the challenges posed by Potato Leaf Roll Virus (PLRV) for seed producers. Through grower discussion and Q&A, the seminar will explore strategies for maintaining seed quality amid changing environmental conditions, limited control options and increasing reliance on integrated pest management (IPM).
Researchers from Hutton Scientific Services (HSS) will discuss the value of water, irrigation decision-support systems and practical approaches to managing water scarcity.
Demonstrations will show how crop water demand can be assessed to support more resilient production, while RMA/Agrii weather stations and soil moisture probes will illustrate how real-time environmental data can improve decision-making and water-use efficiency.
HSS experts will be available throughout the day to discuss their new potato virus testing service, while visitors can test their decision-making skills through Spud Roulette, an interactive challenge that puts participants in the role of a potato breeder.
Sarah Rankin, 2022 MasterChef finalist and now an established food writer, broadcaster and private chef, will deliver Potatoes in Practice’s first live cookery demonstration. She will showcase a range of potato-based dishes celebrating the versatility, quality and value of one of Scotland’s most important crops.
Potatoes in Practice is sponsored by Seed Potato Organisation and GB Potatoes and has British Potato Review and PotatoPro as its media partners.
Tickets to Potatoes in Practice are free and can be booked here
