For production of a high-quality, high-yielding potato crop, don’t overlook the importance of starting with certified seed.

According to Kiran Shetty, Ph.D., a technical development lead for Syngenta, if you don’t start off on the right foot, you’re going to struggle through the rest of the season. It’s important to make sure you have good seed health.

To become certified, seeds must meet certain standards set by a state’s certifying agency regarding seed quality and presence of disease. This information is presented in seed certificates showing the highest potential disease threats to a seed lot. Shetty recommends using information from seed certificates to guide monitoring during germination and help inform decisions about seed treatments and in-furrow fungicide applications. This keeps you on the lookout for early symptoms of certain diseases, and helps you stay ahead of any emerging disease threats.

Watch this Spud Doctor video to learn more about the importance of starting with certified seed.

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