TRIP-Transformative Reduced input Potatoes

Potato growing uses intensive soil cultivation and very large inputs of inorganic nutrients, herbicides, fungicides and insecticides. Large amounts of energy are also used in cooled store to prevent post-production sprouting prior to consumer use. This result in continuous degradation of farm soil organic matter, and large emissions of CO2 and N2O, two major greenhouse gases. TRIP-Transformative Reduced input in potatoes, is a 36 months research program, will develop a regenerative method to address all of the above problems, and provide cost-competitive solutions to potato farmers. TRIP- is based on reduced/no-tillage using farm waste as mulch, innovative plant nutrition approaches, and use of novel low-input potato cultivars having natural long dormancy, and integrated pest management approaches. It will increase soil organic matter, lower needs of chemical inputs (fertilizer, pesticides), reducing also the associated contamination of water, with positive effects on wildlife and bioversity. TRIP- will also contribute to Net Zero. It will demonstrate that using regenerative methods for potato growing will both reduce the GHG emissions and build soil organic matter and its sequestration of carbon. It will provide substantial saving in nitrogen fertilisers, fuel for machinery and for cooled storage used in potato production (major components of the potato production carbon footprint), which will also contribute to Net Zero. TRIP 3-year project outputs will include data on productivity and GHG emissions for combination of cultivation methods and a breeding strategy. Outputs will be reported at demonstration and conferences.