The Seed Potato Organisation (SPO), the UK’s only body representing for representing the seed potato sector, believes that extreme weather is one of the biggest challenges facing growers, as John Sleigh reports for The Scottish Farmer.
Warming temperatures mean more aphids that spread disease, which has the potential to damage Scotland’s very clean, virus-free crops. The continent has been battling viruses in their potato crops for decades, but warming temperatures mean the issue is heading north.
The SPO represents a third of all the seed potato acres in Scotland and has been busy raising funds from its members and using this to support a number of initiatives and projects. They backed the SRUC’s virus summit in December to help cover some of the costs.
They are also investigating the use of food colouring on newly emerged potato plants in a bid to confuse aphids.
Other disease projects backed by SPO include the James Hutton Institute’s monitoring of blight across Europe.
Source: The Scottish Farmer. Read the full story here
Cover image: Credit Andreas from Pixabay
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