Potatoes in Ireland: Sixty years of potato research and development, market evolution and perspectives on future challenges

Potato is often considered synonymous with Ireland, due to the great Irish famine in 1845, and remains most important primary food crop Ireland. Over last 60 yr, area of potatoes has reduced from 86,000 ha 9,000 ha. This trend occurred developed countries but Ireland it decreasing consumption, increasing yield, decline seed production no longer being use for animal feed. Significant specialisation industry during 1990s, improvements agronomy, on farm investment storage field equipment, consolidation packing facilities, a significant shift cultivar choice, Rooster becoming dominant cultivar. These developments led an increase yield 20 t/ha mid-1980s over 40 today. research focused breeding, pathology while there have been changes how knowledge communicated growers this period. The faces many challenges future, largely framed by climate change, need reduce fertiliser plant protection products as part EU Farm Fork Strategy size constraints. New superior potato varieties novel breeding techniques will potential help address combination integrated pest management principles. Multi-actor approaches be necessary all particularly aid grow exploit emerging opportunities.