44th AICRP Potato Meeting Begins in Kota — Researchers Focus on Better Varieties & Crop Protection
The 44th Annual Group Meeting of the All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Potato is being held on 22–23 September 2026 at Agriculture University, Kota, Rajasthan.
The meeting is being organised by Agriculture University, Kota in collaboration with ICAR–Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI), Shimla. It brings together potato researchers, scientists and experts to review research work and discuss ways to improve potato productivity, quality, disease management and sustainability.
According to the organisers, scientists from 17 AICRP centres, along with CPRI regional centres and other experts, are expected to participate. Research findings related to crop improvement, production and crop protection will be discussed, along with potential new varieties and recommendations useful for farmers.
📌 Key Focus Areas
| Area | What the Meeting Covers |
|---|---|
| 🌱 Crop Improvement | New varieties and improved potato traits |
| 🥔 Production | Improving productivity and cultivation practices |
| 🦠 Crop Protection | Disease and pest management |
| 🔬 Research | Results from potato research centres |
| 🚜 Technology | New techniques and recommendations |
| 🌾 Farmer Support | Practical recommendations for potato growers |
📈 From Research to the Farm
New varieties & crop improvement ██████████
Production technology █████████
Disease management █████████
Farmer recommendations ████████
Future research planning ████████
Illustrative visual showing the meeting's major focus areas; not a quantitative ranking.
👨🌾 What This Means for Potato Farmers
The meeting is particularly relevant ahead of the upcoming potato season because research findings can eventually influence variety recommendations, production practices and crop-protection strategies.
The organisers say the meeting will also consider new varieties and recommendations that can be useful to farmers, although specific recommendations should only be considered final once officially released.
🌱 Why It Matters for Seed & Variety Selection
Variety development is an important part of the AICRP potato programme. Research discussions at the meeting can help identify varieties and technologies better suited to different production conditions.
For farmers, the practical value will come when such research is converted into official variety recommendations, seed availability and field-level guidance.
🦠 Crop Protection Focus
Disease and crop protection are another major area of discussion. Better crop-protection recommendations can help farmers manage production risks while improving crop quality and productivity.
📱 Why This Matters for Potato Bazaar
For PB's farmer and industry community, this meeting is worth tracking because it connects potato research with practical farming needs.
Developments from AICRP and ICAR-CPRI can eventually affect:
- Seed and variety selection
- Crop management
- Disease control
- Productivity
- Potato quality
- Farmer recommendations
ICAR officially lists AICRP on Potato, Shimla among its coordinated research projects, while ICAR-CPRI continues to coordinate potato research activities.
🟢 PB Takeaway
India's potato research community is reviewing new research, varieties and production technologies just as the next potato season approaches.
The key point for farmers is not simply the meeting itself, but which research findings and recommendations eventually move from the research centres to the field.