Statutory Controls on PCN

SASA regulates and ensures the quality of the Scottish potato industry through scientific services and advice such as detecting and identifying nematodes.

SASA’s website has information on:

If a potato grower wants to grow seed potatoes in Scotland, they have to have the soil in the field intended for seed potato production sampled for PCN. Information about soil testing can be found here Soil Testing | SASA (Science & Advice for Scottish Agriculture)

Use this link to find the soil testing documents PCN Soil Testing Documents | SASA (Science & Advice for Scottish Agriculture).

Seed potatoes can only be planted on land which is found to free from PCN after an official soil test. The Nematology Laboratory at SASA is used to test soil for PCN - Laboratory testing for PCN | SASA (Science & Advice for Scottish Agriculture)

If PCN are found in an official soil test, the land will be recorded as infested and a control programme will need to be set up and approved by the Scottish Government, with the aim to at least suppress PCN. More information can be found here - CONTROL OF POTATO CYST NEMATODES (sasa.gov.uk)

Ware potatoes are monitored through SASA - Ware Potatoes | SASA (Science & Advice for Scottish Agriculture).

In February 2022, they issued a letter to ware growers regarding the rules that apply to PCN and growing ware potatoes - PCN PP1 Letter 2022.pdf (sasa.gov.uk)

SASA also have documents and data relating to the export of Scottish Potatoes - Potato Exports | SASA (Science & Advice for Scottish Agriculture)

The Scottish Government updated their potato exports guide for PCN in April 2022 because some countries importing potatoes have put in place additional export testing requirements for PCN for both seed and ware - Potato cyst nematode - Potato exports guide - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)