Is potato blight a thing of the past

A.� Potato blight can still wipe out whole crops and threaten farmers' production. The fungus that causes the blight can be controlled using artificial fungicides, but organic farmers are banned from using these.

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Q.� How do organic farmers control the disease

A.� At present organic farmers use a copper-based spray , but that will be banned soon. Late blight is the biggest problem in potato production, whether they are organic or not, and the blight is very resistant.

Britons spent �9 million on organic potatoes last year, around five per cent of the total potato market. It is estimated that could grow to 10 per cent in four years. But farmers are already struggling to meet demand and are afraid the copper fungicide ban will exacerbate the problem.

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Q.� How will the industry tackle the problem

A.� Scientists have produced a purple potato, known as 874120, which has thrilled the industry. The potato is resistant to blight, and it could prove the answer to organic growers' prayers. Professor Carlo Leifert, director of Newcastle University's Organic Centre, has headed a research project, funded by a �3 million grant from the European Union. He has stated that a potato that can be grown commercially without using chemicals would be an important breakthrough for the organic movement worldwide.

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Q.� Where was the new purple potato bred

A.� The potato was bred in Hungary, using natural means. There are other varieties being bred in Germany and Scotland, but they have not been as resistant to blight as the Hungarian version.

The purple potato is also more resistant to slugs and viruses, which also affect the potato production.

Further trials will be carried out on taste and public perception of the new variety. It is hoped 874120's colour - it has yet to be given a name - will help boost sales because it can be easily told apart from non-organic potatoes, meaning it can be sold loose rather than in bags.

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Q.� What are the best potatoes to cook with

A.� There are lots of varieties on the market, including a black-skinned variety and sweet Caribbean potatoes. Specialist salad potatoes - now available all year - include Ratte, an old French variety with an intense chestnut flavour, and Pink Fir Apple, which has a firm waxy texture and pink skin. The most enduring versions in the UK - and most reliable for flavour and texture - include Desiree, which has bright pink skin and yellow, creamy flesh. It is good for boiling, roasting, chips and mash. King Edwards's produce floury fluffiness, good for mash and jacket potatoes.

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by Katharine MacColl