Alegria in the Spotlight: PotatoEurope 2025 Begins with Strong Planting Conditions and Big Expectations
With early April planting complete and weather conditions on their side, organizers of PotatoEurope 2025 are entering the growing season with optimism. Hosted at the Open Crops site of Wageningen University & Research (WUR) in Lelystad, the Netherlands, this year’s event will span September 3–4, offering live demonstrations, networking, and insights into the future of potato production.
According to Jacob de Jong, farm manager at WUR, the 25 hectares dedicated to harvesting demonstrations were planted under excellent conditions. “The relatively dry winter and spring created well-crumbled soils,” said de Jong, “giving us a good start and a favorable window for desiccation in early August.”
The Alegria Advantage
The featured variety for this year’s field trials is Alegria, a mid-early potato appreciated by growers for its:
- High yield potential
- Drought tolerance
- Versatility in use – from fresh consumption to French fry processing
- Oval tubers with light-yellow flesh and strong culinary quality
- Moderate to low susceptibility to common potato diseases, such as Rhizoctonia and Common Scab
Alegria’s agronomic characteristics make it particularly suited for demonstration and commercial use in a wide range of soil and climate conditions. According to breeder reports, Alegria can yield up to 55 tons/ha under favorable management and has shown resilience during dry summers—a key trait in Europe’s increasingly unpredictable climate.
Sustainable Agronomy in Practice
In line with modern agronomic standards, WUR employed best practices to maximize crop health and minimize environmental impact:
- Seed treatment: Maxim (fungicide)
- Row treatments: Amistar (azoxystrobin) + liquid phosphate fertilizer
- Soil type: Marine clay with ~30% silt content
- Crop rotation: Winter wheat (2024) followed by yellow mustard as a green manure crop
- Base fertilization: Applied as per standard recommendations
- Planting distance: 26 cm within rows
- No animal manure used
These practices reflect a growing European trend toward sustainable intensification, aligning with EU Farm to Fork targets that emphasize reduced pesticide and fertilizer inputs while maintaining yield.
Machinery and Market Integration
One of PotatoEurope’s main draws will be the live harvesting demonstrations, featuring cutting-edge machinery from AVR, Dewulf, Grimme, and Ropa. These demonstrations will not only showcase mechanical performance but also integration with precision farming technologies, including GPS guidance, yield mapping, and automated harvesting systems.
Post-harvest, Alegria potatoes will be marketed through Schaap Holland, a leading Dutch company specializing in fresh and processed potato products for European and international markets.
The broader event will include an exhibitor village featuring innovations across:
- Crop protection
- Soil health
- Storage and logistics
- Processing technologies
- Marketing and retail trends
According to event organizer Kuno Jacobs, “PotatoEurope is a key platform for professional growers, researchers, and agri-tech companies to exchange knowledge and build future-ready partnerships.”
With ideal field conditions, a well-regarded potato variety, and top-tier equipment scheduled for demo, PotatoEurope 2025 is poised to deliver on both agronomic depth and industry innovation. The event will not only highlight best practices for today’s potato growers, but also offer insight into the technologies and strategies that will shape tomorrow’s resilient, profitable, and sustainable potato value chains.
