News on Potato Defects and Diseases from United Kingdom

Potato growers are urged to watch for the Colorado beetle, a pest threatening UK crops. Spot yellow-cream beetles with black stripes or red larvae. Report sightings with photos to APHA or the Scottish Government to protect biosecurity.

Potato Professionals in the United Kingdom gathered for the annual Potatoes in Practice (PiP)event, hosted by the National Potato Innovation Centre (NPIC), in partnership with SRUC and Agrii, at The James Hutton Institute’s Baldruddery Farm.

Potato growers should test for nematicide residues like Nemathorin 10G before harvest due to dry conditions slowing breakdown. Follow the 119-day wait after application and use accredited labs for testing to ensure crop safety and meet standards.

Esta herramienta permitirá optimizar el uso de fungicidas, reducir costos y minimizar el impacto ambiental al ajustar los tratamientos según el riesgo real.

Aberystwyth University leads a cross-border AI project to combat potato late blight, a disease causing €4B in losses annually. The DeepDetect app will help farmers detect infections early, cutting pesticide use and boosting sustainable farming.

Experts from Harper Adams University have co-authored a comprehensive new guide to managing potato cyst nematodes (PCN), updating previous advice and combining biology, control strategies, and sampling methods into one essential resource.

The 2025 Fight Against Blight campaign begins with new tools to track late blight in UK potatoes, warning of evolving fungicide resistance and urging growers to stay vigilant.

GB Potatoes has joined HCP to secure vital crop protection authorisations for the UK seed potato sector, using AHDB levy funds. A new technical group will prioritise needs, ensuring sustainable, high-quality seed and ware potato production.

Join the James Hutton Institute's webinar on May 30, International Day of Potato, to explore UK potato production challenges and innovations in breeding, sustainability, AI tools, and pest control. Hosted by NPIC and Professor Ingo Hein.

GB Potatoes funds the FAB project for 3 years, boosting UK efforts to monitor and combat potato late blight. Led by James Hutton Institute, FAB provides vital real-time insights on blight strains and resistance, strengthening sector resilience.

The 2025 Hutchinsons Potato Trials Results Day at Worth Farms, Lincolnshire, showcased key field trials and research to help tackle major potato industry challenges, including PCN, herbicide safety, wireworm, catch crops, blight, and Alternaria.

Fera Science’s Enigma I project is advancing to its second phase, focusing on sustainable wireworm control. Agri-food organizations are invited to join as co-funding partners for tailored research and practical solutions.

Emerald Research Ltd (ERL) and a leading potato grower in South West England have won an eighteen-month Innovate UK project to tackle the ever-growing problem of wireworm damage in potatoes.

Greenvale’s Golden Kings launched ‘Move Over Maris’ with Great British Chefs to promote climate-friendly, high-yielding potatoes needing less irrigation and pest control, urging consumers to switch varieties.

The dwindling availability of insecticide seed treatment and nematicides has paved the way for pest control using entomopathogenic nematodes.

Fera scientists have made breakthrough progress with industry-steered wireworm research, highlighting where and when the pest is expected to pose the highest risk to arable and fresh produce crops over the next two decades. 

Meeting the challenges will be the focus of the 26th annual gathering in Dundee of the country’s leading potato producers and the companies that support them.

The potatoes sector is to benefit from the delivery of seven industry projects funded by residual levy reserves, after a grant agreement was signed between AHDB and GB Potatoes.