Practical Potato Workshop in Germany Combines Botany, Plant Protection, and Field Diagnostics

Around 20 participants from across Germany—ranging from industry newcomers to seasoned professionals—gathered for a two-day event designed to deepen their expertise on potatoes and gain hands-on insights along the entire value chain. The program kicked off with Katrin Mauthe from the German Potato Trade Association (DKHV), who provided foundational knowledge on the potato’s origin, botany, and cultivation conditions in Germany. External speakers and certified instructors then delivered a comprehensive overview of cultivation methods, growth conditions, quality requirements, and crop rotation systems. A key focus was placed on plant protection, with practical explanations of major pests and diseases, as well as proper field inspection techniques in accordance with the Berlin Agreements.

The afternoon session centered on applying the newly acquired knowledge in practice. At the teaching and demonstration garden of the Lower Saxony Chamber of Agriculture, Carsten Tschentscher used various crop stands to illustrate the differences between healthy and infested plants, explaining typical damage patterns in detail. The direct link between theory and practice made the content particularly vivid and memorable for participants. Certified instructor Nikolaus Schackmann added further practical value by providing extensive visual materials showing disease-damaged potato plants and tubers. “It is important to me to pass on enthusiasm for the potato, and over these two days we have certainly succeeded in doing that,” Schackmann emphasized, highlighting the success of the intensive hands-on training format.