A summary poster on the upgrade to the PCN soil sample rinser installed at SASA during the PCN Action Scotland project. 

Economic contribution of Scotland's Potato Sector Poster

A summary poster of the use of universally transferable markers to improve resistance breeding in potato varieties

A summary of field trials data on the use of Oil radish varieties as cover crops against PCN. 

Varieties tested include: Bento, Rebellion, Dracula, Terra Nova, Angus, Defender, Hardy Mix N4, and Adios.

The PCN Action Scotland Project in partnership with the Farm Advisory Service (FAS) have updated the technical note on PCN for industry use. 

TN30 covers PCN life cycles, spread, symptoms, implications for seed and ware crops, IPM practices, soil testing, and chemical control options. 

In 2023 a field trial was established which aimed to provide information on the integrated control of Globodera pallida. This report publishes the results of the field trial planted at Barnyards Farm on 02/05/2022 - a location with a moderate-high PCN population. The trial consisted of 8 potato varieties (Maris Piper, Elland, Eurostar, Buster, Amanda, Karelia, Lanorma, and Paradox) with varying levels of resistance to both G. Pallida and G. Rostochiensis. Replicates of each variety were treated with either Nemathorin 10G (30 kg/ha, a.i. Fosthiazate), Velum Prime (0.625 L/ha in furrow a.i. fluopyram), or left untreated.

This report is part of Work Package 1: Economic Contribution of the Scottish Government funded research project: Delivering a sustainable potato industry for Scotland through management of Potato cyst nematode (PCN). As part of this workstream this report aims to provide new insights into the economic contribution that the Scottish potato sector makes beyond the often cited farmgate value of potato production. This report provides a statistical overview of this concentrated and highly regulated sector, including data on consumption, exports, imports, production, varieties, seed and ware sector – alongside estimates of economic contribution.

A summary report of progress made across the work packages addressed by the PCN working group in year one. 

A review of information relating to tolerance of potatoes to cyst nematodes.

A working group comprised of over 50 potato industry, government and academia partners was set up to create a strategy for dealing with PCN. The resulting report written by Ian Toth, Fiona Burnett, Philip Burgess, Colin Herron, Jon Pickup, is published on the Plant Health Centre website and includes the four recommendations below that the group proposed: 

1. Increase the potato sector’s capability and motivation to implement change
2. Preserve the land base for future generations
3. Control the epidemic
4. Recognise the investment needed to tackle the PCN problem.

This report was originally published on the Plant Health Centre website and was written by Vivian Blok, Jon Pickup, Kim Davie, Helen Kettle, David Ewing, Adrian Roberts, Laura Kuhfuss, Adam Kleczkowski, Beth McDougall. 

The study:

- Determines the most effective way to control PCN is the use of resistant varieties and that more G. pallida resistance markers are required to assist breeders.

- Identifies practices that are detrimental to the control of PCN and barriers to the uptake of good practice in Scotland.

- Includes recommendations such as encouraging the use of resistant varieties in control programmes and potentially shifting rules within the legislation to benefit the management of PCN.

The report concluded that if no action is taken, and at the current rate of increase, the widespread presence of G. pallida may prohibit the production of seed potatoes on land free from PCN in as little as 30 years.

The AHDB PCN Grower Guide covers many aspects of PCN from background and prevalence to distribution, sampling and control methods. This guide was published in 2018 by AHDB Potatoes.