Syngenta Potato has launched a new version of its Blight Alert service for 2004 ranging from basic information to a far more detailed analysis.

The 2004 version will be able to give growers up to five-day forecasts and high-level technical advice. Blight Alert provides unique blight information direct to growers’ mobile phone or farm computers.

The basic Bronze service is available free on-line for all potato growers and agronomists at the Syngenta web site - www.syngenta-crop.co.uk - and provide an assessment of the current blight risk.

The Silver offers a blight forecast for the coming two days for a subscription of £150 a year. Growers can also opt to install an in-field weather station to input their own data into the system and receive Gold-level service forecasts tailored to their own specific farm situation.

The Platinum service has an additional five-day blight risk forecast and farm-based advice on spray timings and product choice tailored to the crop growth stage, previous treatments and impending blight risk.

Syngenta potato manager Garth Bretherton said: “The Silver and Gold service caters for all growers and agronomists who want a simple system for identifying risk periods and spray justification. The full Platinum service is already used by several of the country’s top potato producers.”