UK: Potato industry urged to keep fungal disease at bay as exports increase

The farming industry has pledged to work closely with the seed potato sector and the government to ensure that the industry maintains a low level of the fungal disease blackleg. Speaking at the Seed Industry event in St Andrew’s, Scotland, AHDB Potatoes Strategy Director Rob Clayton said that while there are no easy answers when it comes to blackleg, the key to maintaining the high health status of the industry is collective responsibility. The event saw a national stocktake of current management practices regarding blackleg which will be used to drive future research and best practice recommendations. Blackleg is a disease caused by the bacterium Pectobacterium atrosepticum. It is one of the earliest potato diseases to appear, and many growers see symptoms as early as June, especially in wet years. More