Potato variety and innovation testing on-farm network, Hungary

The Hungarian Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (ÖMKi) has been evaluating promising Hungarian and non-Hungarian potato varieties with different resistance traits for four years within ÖMKi's on-farm participatory research network, in close collaboration with 22 organic farms. The network is spread all over Hungary, operating in a continental climate with diverse soil conditions varying from loamy to sandy soils and from alkaline to acidic conditions.

The organic farms participating in the on-farm network mainly operate without animal husbandry and with different climates and soil conditions, as well as different levels of crop diversification in the crop rotation. The size and character of the farms are either small, garden-scale micro farms cultivated by hand, or mechanized farms using arable rotation and machinery.

For potato, 13 mid-season and 6 short-term varieties were tested on organic farms under the farm’s usual management. Based on farmers’ feedback, the trial focus changed to better nutrient management and improving yield. Therefore, since 2016 two different microbial inoculums have been tested on potatoes. On two farms, there were small plots with replications, and on another two farms, there were bigger plots without replications.

Within the SolACE framework, 4 organic farms in the ÖMKi network tested new promising potato varieties (including hybrids), different microbial inoculums, water retainer products and soil conditioners. Through the on-farm trials, the effects of these varieties and products were measured on potato yield and quality under combined stress conditions (nutrients – P; N; and water).