Hand digging “new” potatoes, 1959. Early season “new” potatoes packed in wooden boxes received a premium price.

Taste testing and assessing new crisping potato varieties 1973. Potential new varieties were run through a commercial crisp cooking process with the finished product being assessed by a tasting panel.

Potato promotion at a Mt Gambier supermarket – June 1975. The SA Potato Board ran regular promotion programs (using the Sammy Spud character) with consumers to increase consumption and sales. Source: State Library of SA Image BRG 347/1715

Potato industry field day, Woodside, February 1973. These district field days provided comprehensive information about new varieties, irrigation, nutrition, pest and disease management and other technology to potato growers.

The SARDI handbook “Plant Analysis and Interpretation Manual for Potato” prepared by Norbert Maier and Kathryn Shepherd in 1998 assembled the best national and international plant analysis data for use by Australian potato agronomists. It was supported by a decision support software CD to assist potato agronomists with interpreting potato tissue analysis data.

Inspecting a potato variety trial, Adelaide Hills 1973 – part of the regular field day program.

Steps in the SA potato cultivar evaluation program – 1997. Source: Potato Varieties for South Australia – a guide to performance and selection by Chris Williams et al; published by PIRSA 1997.

Presenting a cup to Mr Ron Telfer of Glencoe for his superior potatoes, July 1964. L-R: Robert “Bob” Beck, Greg Botting, Gilbert “Gill” Myer and Ronald “Ron” Telfer. Potato crop competitions ran from the 1928 to the 1980’s. Crop competitions were important for encouraging growers to adopt new production technology. Source: State Library of SA Image BRG 347/1759.

Potato Adviser Henry Feddersen observing potato variety trials – Woodside February 1973. Many of these new varieties were sourced from the national potato breeding program based at Toolangi in Victoria.