In a significant move to address a multi-million-pound issue plaguing the British potato industry, a new body known as the PCN Forum has been established, as FarmingUK reports in a news story published here.
The forum is designed to combat the potato cyst nematode, a parasitic worm that has wreaked havoc on nearly half of the land used for growing ware potatoes in Great Britain. Spearheaded by umbrella organization GB Potatoes, the PCN Forum aims to bring together experts from both the industry and academia to formulate a unified strategy against this costly pest.
Dr. Matthew Back, a Reader in Nematology at Harper Adams University, estimates that the nematode’s impact on the industry could be as high as £31 million annually.
“As the forum develops, it aims to draw in not only those directly involved, but also those on the periphery, such as farmers, landowners, consultants, retailers, and the wider supply chain,” said Dr. Back.
Source: FarmingUK. Read the full story here
Photo: PCN on red potatoes. Credit NIBR Bugwood
