Northern Ireland has an enviable reputation for the production of both seed and ware potatoes to the highest of health standards. This production is underpinned by scientific research, diagnosis and advice provided by AFBI, in partnership with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) Quality Assurance Branch (QAB) and the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE).
Guidance can be obtained through QAB and/or CAFRE. The Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute provides a wide range of diagnostic and advisory services to commercial potato producers:
- Pest and disease diagnosis
- Early detection and risk assessments
- Advice and guidance on pest and disease management
- Susceptibility / resistance evaluation of potato clones
Pest Advisory Services
The following services determine infestation levels and give appropriate advice on management options:
- Nematodes (eelworms)
Potato cyst nematode (PCN). To detect PCN in land intended for ware production. Submitted soil samples are processed to determine PCN species and viability level.
- Root knot nematodes (RKN) (Meloidogyne spp.)
RKN crop damage has been increasing, partly due to the reduction in use of pesticides, and as a response to climate change. RKNs attack several arable crops, including potatoes, and certain species have now been shown to cause severe yield losses in mainland Europe.
- Virus vector nematodes.
The free-living Trichodorid nematodes transmit tobacco rattle virus (TRV), which leads to ‘spraing’ in potato tubers. These are more likely to be prevalent in well draining soil.
- Insects and other pests
- Wireworms are the larvae of certain click beetles that attack potato crops, rendering them unmarketable and providing ingress to other soil organisms. They are abundant in grassland and frequently invade potato crops in the initial years following ploughing.
- Cutworms Caterpillars of a number of noctuid moths may attack potato crops tunnelling the tubers and severing stems and roots at ground level. These attacks are more common in hot, dry summers and on light soils.
- Slug damage to potato tubers is most serious in wet autumns following mild, wet summers and particularly when harvesting is delayed. Crops grown on heavier soils are most at risk.
- Aphids cause yield losses by direct feeding and virus transmission. Four aphid species are common to growing potato crops, and additional species may infest the sprouts of seed potatoes within the potato store or chitting house.
Disease Services
Hot Box Testing
To detect latent infection in seed, particularly for export stocks. Diseases detected include blight, soft rot and dry rot. Tuber germination can also be assessed.
- Potato tuber disease identification
Quantifies blackleg (Erwinia) levels and surface blemishing diseases such as common and powdery scab, black scurf, skin spot and silver scurf and provides information on appropriate fungicide treatment.
- Virus identification
Potato cultivars have a range of susceptibilities to commonly encountered viruses (PVY, Leaf roll, PVX, PVA, PVV). Specific tests can confirm virus status.
- Potato blight warnings
The ‘Blightline’ recorded telephone service (02890 382372) operates June – August. AFBI cooperates with CAFRE to provide DARD Blight-Net Service available at http://www.ruralni.gov.uk/index/crops/potatoes/blight_net.htm Both services provide regular free updates on infection risk (based on local weather data), locations of blight outbreaks and guidance on disease management.
Pest and disease resistance assessment for private potato breeders
- PCN resistance assessment
Potato varieties bred to include PCN resistance can be independently assessed, following National List (NL) protocols, to clarify resistance levels prior to NL submission.
- Testing new clones for susceptibility to Wart Disease
Wart disease, caused by a soil-borne organism, has been successfully controlled by strict regulations and growing immune varieties. New potato clones produced by breeders are tested for their susceptibility to assist in the production of wart-immune cultivars.
AFBI Pest and Disease Services to the Potato Industry Service costs for 2010/2012
Nematology
Potato Cyst Nematode
Advisory service |
£15 1
£25 2 |
10–14 days |
350 g soil per ha |
Root knot Nematodes
(Meloidogyne spp.) |
£20 |
15–20 days |
350 g soil per ha |
Virus vector nematodes
(‘Spraing’) |
£20 |
12–18 days |
350 g soil per ha |
1 result clear
2 result PCN infested with specific advice
Contact: Nematology Section.
Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute
Newforge Lane
Belfast, BT9 5PX
Telephone: +44 (0) 2890 255217 or +44 (0) 2890 255523
Email:
info@afbini.gov.uk
Invertebrate Ecology
| Aphids |
£30-40* |
2 days |
20 leaves |
| Wireworms |
£100-125* |
7 days |
40 soil cores |
| Slugs |
£30-40 |
2 days |
20 tubers |
*typical range, price on individual application
Contact : Invertebrate Ecology Section.
Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute
Newforge Lane
Belfast, BT9 5PX
Telephone: +44 (0) 2890 255289 or +44 (0) 29890 255380
Email:
info@afbini.gov.uk
Crop Disease Control
| Hot box testing |
£30 |
14-20 days |
100 tubers |
| Potato tuber disease identification |
£100 |
10-14 days |
Variable |
| Virus identification |
£100-125* |
3 months |
100+ tubers |
*typical range, price on individual application
Contact: Crop Disease Control Section
Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute
Newforge Lane
Belfast, BT9 5PX
Telephone: +44 (0) 2890 255255 or +44 (0) 2890 255254
Email:
info@afbini.gov.uk
Services for potato breeders - PCN resistance assessment
| Price £ excl. VAT | £100 |
| Test duration | 3 months |
| Sample size | 25 tubers |
| Contact | Nematology Section
Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute
Newforge Lane
Belfast, BT9 5PX
Telephone: + 44 (0) 2890 255217 or + 44 (0) 2890 25552
Email: info@afbini.gov.uk |
Wart susceptibility testing
| Price £ excl. VAT | £50 |
| Test duration | 3 months |
| Sample size | 10 tubers per clone |
| Contact | Crop Disease Control Section
Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute
Newforge Lane
Belfast, BT9 5PX
Telephone: + 44 (0) 2890 255255 or + 44 (0) 2890 255254
Email: info@afbini.gov.uk |
