Guest essay by Eric Worrall
Researchers in Maine have expressed concern that if they experience a few degrees of global warming, they will no longer be able to grow potatoes. But given Maine potato varieties are extensively grown in subtropical Bundaberg, my question is, what problem are the researchers actually trying to solve?
Researchers try producing potato resistant to climate change
Nov 28, 2021
BANGOR, Maine (AP) — University of Maine researchers are trying to produce potatoes that can better withstand warming temperatures as the climate changes.
Warming temperatures and an extended growing season can lead to quality problems and disease, Gregory Porter, a professor of crop ecology and management, told the Bangor Daily News.
“The predictions for climate change are heavier rainfall events, and potatoes don’t tolerate flooding or wet conditions for long without having other quality problems,” Porter said. “If we want potatoes to be continued to be produced successfully in Maine, we need to be able to produce varieties that can be resistant to change.”
Around the world, research aimed at mitigating crop damage is underway. A NASA study published this month suggests climate change may affect the production of corn and wheat, reducing yields of both, as soon as 2030.
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Read more: https://mcdowellnews.com/news/national/researchers-try-producing-potato-resistant-to-climate-change/article_b3aa39c7-a682-5152-9b94-fb44b0493a2d.html
Bundaberg, Australia (24 degrees south, average annual temperature 77F) is a major potato and root vegetable growing region, along with sugar cane, strawberries, pineapples and bananas and who knows what else. Bundaberg experiences lots of tropical rainfall and occasional flooding.
Subtropical Bundaberg actually grows MAINE potatoes. They are no different to the varieties farmers plant or have planted in Maine.
The Subtropical Bundaberg grown Sebago potatoes at the top of the picture were developed by the United States Ministry of Agriculture in partnership with Maine Agricultural Experiment Station in 1938.
What is the secret of Bundaberg’s success with potatoes developed in Maine? Very simple – Bundaberg farmers plant the potatoes in Fall, the plants mature over winter, and they harvest in Spring, before the Summer heat kills them. The closer to the tropics you get, the sooner you need to plant, if you want to grow temperate climate vegetables, until somewhere around 27 degrees from the equator you swing right through winter and start planting in Fall.
My point is the problems of how to grow crops like potatoes in warm climates have already been solved, by farmers who have been growing potatoes in warm climates for centuries. Suggestions that this is any kind of a challenge seem a little far fetched.
There is no remotely plausible level of global warming which Maine could experience in the next century which would come close to Maine matching Bundaberg’s climate. Any warming in Maine could be addressed by simply changing the planting time by a few days, a little drainage work, and maybe importing some Australian tropical potato farming knowhow.
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I thought that it was illegal to think about MITIGATING climate change, and you could get cancelled for doing this?
Surely the CORRECT way to address Climate Change is to erect large screens over all potato fields? And then to put a special Climate Change Potato Tax on all small businesses selling chips?
You mean adapting not mitigating, DG. The loons think that stopping CO2 emissions is mitigating.
Your ideas should be kept secret. They may be insane enough to be mandated.
The real question, Rich Davis, is whether or not the loons will stop their OWN CO2 emissions, just to save the planet from being fried.
Speaking of fried stuff, hashed potatoes added to chopped corned beef is quite delicious when pan-fried and slightly crusted.
add peas onion and serve with tomato sauce;-) cornbeef hash aussie style
Thanks for the lunch idea! I have a tin of chili corned beef that I have been meaning to try!
Then develop the market for potato chips for biomass burners, like Drax? (dodging for cover)
Might be good to grow one that survives cold.
“a professor of crop ecology”
Enough said.
Agreed!
Sounds like an administrator, never a farmer or scientist.
That was a typo– the “o” shoulda been an “a.”
What about “potato equity” ?
Equity? With King Edward potatoes?
Don’t potatoes come from the Andes?
Yes, on holidays.
nah … illegal refo spuds.
COSTCO!
But your source may vary.
Aldi and Jewel have potatoes.
Northern Europe experienced two years of potato famines in the 1740s, due to early frosts freezing potatoes in the ground. IIRC about a fifth of the population of Finland died as a consequence. Also widespread deaths in Scotland. Doesn’t it make you nostalgic for the benign pre-industrial climate before humans ruined everything? /s
NB not the same as the famous Irish potato famine of the 1840s, which was caused by a fungal infection.
Yeah, that was late tomato/potato blight. I was hit by it several years ago. It was the best crop I ever had and it was gone within days.
The joy of gardening {?}.
For sure, a real shocker when you open a near 2# beefsteak and its all black inside.
Have you been to Bangor?
20 miles away from it myself.
bangor daily has agendas for sure.
Ayuh, I guess mosta them writahs are from Away.
this is part of the 97%, right?
There are two strains; one is already cooked by time you dig it out of ground, the other is not good for cooking since it is resistant to temperature rise.
Variants….
It can’t hurt to increase our variety of crops. Indeed it shows that trying to control the weather through trace gas emission retardation is an expensive folly.
Whether this is profitable or not is less important to an academic researcher. They are doing the fundamental research that businesses can’t afford to do for want of better immediate returns.
This is avoiding market failures in the event of a black swan. This is why we pay our taxes. Proper science.
I think we should be breeding human beings that can withstand any climate change, hotter or colder….
If you mean richer humans who can afford coats and aircon then I agree with you.
“women selected for the breeding process must me of a highly stimulating nature”
–Dr Strangelove.
Commercially the two top potato producing states are much warmer than Maine and have hot summer weather.
Maine is in 10th place for Potato production, waaay behind the leading much warmer states.
Potatoes are a huge cash crop in Portugal and grow throughout the country from along the coast where it never gets very cold to up in the mountains which are currently closed due to snow. This is one crop that can be grown successfully almost anywhere in the world.
The nightshade family (solonaceae) is possibly the most adaptable family on the planet. From tobacco to petunias and tomatoes to spuds they’re found in every corner of the world, as you say. “Climate change” simply isn’t an issue.
Most of the best spuds – Idaho’s grade A bakers – are raised in the middle Snake River Valley, which has a growing season that is about 6-8 weeks longer than in the bitter cold/long winters of Maine. In the much higher elevations of the upper Snake River valley, they grow only seed potatoes that are much smaller, due to the shorter growing season.
They are not doing fundamental research if other already grow the potatoes in subtropical areas. Their only farming skill is farming subsidies and grants.
You don’t think Simplot is doing its own variety trials? Because they “can’t afford to for want of better immediate returns”? LOL.
I sincerely doubt they are doing this research. It’s very unlikely to be needed.
But if it’s needed they will be very glad that someone covered the high severity / low probability risks,
Then you would be wrong.
Most potato processors have very active research programs, partnering with university researchers and local grower organizations. Simplot is but one of them, possibly the largest in the U.S.
There are many other processors that engage in this research on an ongoing basis. The goal is perpetually to increase yields and/or mitigate losses. To do so they investigate a wide variety of potential impacts to the potato crop – disease and insect resistance/tolerance.
You seem remarkably naive on how science in agriculture works. You don’t think that plant genetics and breeding are significant research directions worldwide? That would be a remarkably foolish assumption. How do you think the corn/soybean acreage in Canada has expanded so much? Through breeding programs to create hybrids that require less heat units. To change the goal to be “more tolerant of increasing heat” wouldn’t be much of a change in gears at all, as would be required for potatoes in Maine. And rest assured, if you throw “climate change adaptation” in your grant proposal you’re quite likely to have success in said grant application.
That research has a commercial end goal does not make it less “science”.
they are very likely to suceed COntinued crop production will be attributed to their research.
Potatoes USA
How Many Types of Potatoes are There?
There are more than 200 varieties of potatoes sold throughout the United States. Each of these varieties fit into one of seven potato type categories: russet, red, white, yellow, blue/purple, fingerling and petite. Learn more about the characteristics and cooking recommendations for each type of potato below.
LINK
By that logic, we should be building fallout shelters because there’s a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a chance of either nuclear winter or asteroid impacts will happen. The possibility of something shouldn’t be the measure. The probability should be. Interestingly, there’s likelier chance of a nuclear winter than the “black swan” climate event you refer to. Funny how everyone is up in arms over climate change but could not care less about nuclear proliferation.
That depends on the cost.
If fallout shelters cost tuppence who would argue with you?
Significant? Interesting?
Allow me to add some more question marks, please!
No me digas! Is that promise or a threat?
They’re solving a money problem. They need research grants to keep their damned public sector University administrators gainfully employed, with much better pension and health benefits than employees of private corporations receive. And the lefty bureaucratic state happily funds those research ideas under the rubric of saving the planet, er, I mean saving the potato.
Let’s call the whole thing off.
Like how much of our winter produce comes from South Florida….please, these people are idiots
Never let a crisis go to waste when you can procure research money from it .
“…the closer to the tropics you get, the sooner you need to plant,…” is way too much common sense for the lunatic fringe pushing CAGW.
In south Florida winter is when one plants one’s tomatoes, cucumbers, and potatoes!
Any warming in Maine could be addressed by…
________________________________________
There isn’t a problem, please stop suggesting solutions to a non-problem.
The University of Maine researchers a dishing out a load of bullshit period.
Any warming in Maine … would be greatly appreciated by it’s residents.
With the exception of the Wool Growers Association or course
Actually, would any slight decrease of temperatures reduce the wool yield of a given breed of sheep?
Just askin, I don’t know.
Well to be fair the research and development of drought, heat, cold & moisture resistant wheat has benefited humanity enormously.
More varieties is better when it comes to spuds, I say.
Between heirloom and commercial varieties, there are already a whole bunch of tasty spuds and they come in all the colors of the rainbow. Corn has been tinkered with as well, giving us super-sweet types and delicious colorful ears.
Talk about going from the sublime to the ridiculous, this from the ridiculous to the gorblimey.
Why dont they just use a variety that grows happily 100 miles south ?
OK … you’re cancelled far that!
Actually, most of the common varieties of potato grow BETTER in a warmer climate than Maine’s extremely cold/short growing season. Including Idaho, which produces better spuds than Maine anyway.
The Great British Chefs web site says there are 500 varieties of potato grown round the world. Wikipedia ( I know, I know ) says over 5000 exist although most not grown widely.
Do we need any more varieties?
Never count out the Ag sector at devising another subsidy angle.
Will it be a “Smart Green” potato that can adjust back the other way when natural ocean cooling cycles set in while running counter to agenda climate modelers and settled political science?
RG,
Green potato skins can be toxic, so avoid green.
Geoff S
They went in the wrong direction. Soon they will become aware of their waste of time and effort. How will they react to the reality?
Re-inventing the wheel is all the rage
I’ve never had a problem with employees re-inventing the wheel…
Far too many people are convinced their square wheel inventions are the best mousetraps. Forcing them to easier rolling wheels is nigh impossible.
“ Re-inventing the wheel is all the rage…
I’ve never had a problem with employees re-inventing the wheel…”
That’s your idea of progress?
“Reinventing the wheel” is frequently mouthed by bosses who hate wasting time or money and frequently both.
They would rather burden employees with old technology than to advance.
Usually the best way to convince them is to reinvent the solution, implement said solution, then assign credit to the neanderthal who was refusing to allow technology to advance.
Sometimes they turn purple with anger. Sometimes they nod their heads and thank us.
Almost never do they demand a return to the old method/product.
I’ve run into neanderthals every place I worked.
One boss, not a neanderthal, assigned, to me, the task of computerizing the budget department whose budget ran 1/2 billion $ in expenses and 1/3rd billion $ in revenue.
The manager and supervisors were neanderthals.
Previous attempts put computers into their department, but they were unused.
Two months into computerizing, I arrived early one morning and locked every calculator in a secure cabinet. People only got their calculator back if they proved it more useful in their daily work.
One person out of eleven proved that their running a quick calculation allowed them to tally one-off numbers while answering phone calls. Their calculator was re-issued.
Two months later, workhour savings were sufficient to reduce staffing by half yet provide a faster better quality product.
According to the resistors, we were unnecessarily reinventing the wheel! Half a year later instead of being known as f**kups, they were respected for their accuracy and timeliness.
To get there, someone must reinvent the wheel, so the wheel rolls with less resistance!
There is a side issue where many people dress up the old ways with additional requirements and frequently paperwork, then they claim it is an improvement.
It is known as lipstick on a pig! It is still a pig and no-one really thinks it was a good idea.
The problem they are trying to solve is a lack of tax dollars being dumped into their bank accounts.
Given the decades old policy of the U.S. (and other Western nations) that CO2-driven warming is dangerous, most research proposals are shoehorned into either climate mitigation or adaptation. Every ideological fad has hooked its star to CAGW; that’s were all of the billions upon billions of Federal dollars are going and where one may get massive amounts of click-bait attention.
Thank the Lord. French Fries will live on.
French fries?
Good old fashioned English chips
Sorry man but Pommes Fritse was a French invention, though Belgium also claims the rights. But man, they really ruin it with their propensity for putting mayonnaise on them instead of ketchup! Ugg! Of course one can go to Germany and have Pom Fritz if they so desire.
Sorry man?
If only you were,
I suppose it must be Monsieur Walter Raleigh
From a person that knows nothing about me. Reminds me of what one would get on twitter, though I have never signed up there.
“ From a person that knows nothing about me”
And you are?
Twitter? You seem to know more about it than I do.
Johnny come lately.
…
…
Pomme de terre frites, (pomme frites), or apple of the Earth deep fried.
Not pan fried, not sauteed, not baked, but complete immersion in hot deep fat.
A curiously French method of cooking.
Scottish way of cooking.
Deep fried Mars Bar, anyone?
Are you claiming that haggis is deep fried?
Nope, boiled as so many foods were in the United Kingdom.
Deep fried Mars bars are recent inventions.
Do your history- we were still smoking them…..
There may even be enough excess potatoes to allow curly fries to continue to be available.
WUWT needs to loop back in 8 years to see if NASA’s prediction of declining corn and wheat yields actually occur.
Yep, that joke never gets old 🙂
Potatoes grow in Mexico and Alaska, Australia, India, UK, Canada, Russia, etc etc etc . So you think they give a damn how hot it is?