Project Background

Potato cyst nematodes (PCN) are a major pest to potatoes. There are two main species, Globodera rostochiensis and Globodera pallida. PCN live in the soil and feed on potato roots which negatively affects potato yields and quality. Land infested with PCN is becoming more widespread throughout Scotland, the UK and abroad. 

A large working group with a range of potato industry, government and academic backgrounds was set up to identify a strategy and key recommendations for dealing with PCN crisis. As a result of the work done by this group, the Scottish Government awarded funding for a fully integrated 5-year project of scientific research and knowledge exchange with an aim to deliver a sustainable potato and bulb industry for Scotland through the management of Potato Cyst Nematode (PCN). The project is led by the Plant Health Centre, and involves other organisations including the James Hutton Institute, SRUC, SoilEssentials, Scottish Agronomy and SASA who are all working together to deliver eight core work packages:

1 - Economics

2 - Decision Support (DSS)

3 - Resistance Marker Development and Mobilising New Resistances

4 - Dihaploid Induction for accelerated crop improvement

5 - Mechanistic Understanding of tolerance to PCN to aid breeding

6 - Groundkeeper Control

7 - Novel IPM Tools

8 - National Knowledge Exchange and Communications Programme

More information on these work packages can be found under the Work Packages tab.