AHDB ‘Next Generation’ group studies Scottish seed industry

AHDB Potatoes’ Next Generation delegates continued their study programme of the GB potato industry with an in-depth look at the Scottish seed industry this month. The group began their two-day tour at Scottish Government’s facilities at Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA), meeting key members of the potato and plant health teams in labs and lecture halls. The group were able to see at first hand the specialist facilities and the work SASA does to protect plant health, preserving collections of over 1000 potato varieties and ensuring provision of disease-free micro-plants to support production of GB’s high-health seed crop. The tour encompassed visits to SASA’s pathology and virology laboratories, the stored variety collections, plus a close-up look at the advanced soil testing equipment which helps keep Scottish seed land free of Potato Cyst Nematode (PCN). More