A major new project will tackle pests in potatoes through the protection of clean land and the management of land already infested with pests. The project will focus specifically on tackling potato cyst nematode (PCN), which is becoming an increasing challenge with its presence in some fields across Scotland.
David Porter reports for Grampian Online that the project will be led by Scotland’s Plant Health Centre (PHC) and will receive £2.2 million of Scottish Government funding over five years, with £470,000 of the funding made available for this year.
The work will involve the James Hutton Institute, Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), Biomathematics & Statistics Scotland (BioSS), Soil Essentials, Scottish Agronomy and Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA). Prof Ian Toth of the James Hutton Institute led the working group and will lead the new project.
Minister for Environment, Biodiversity and Land Reform Mairi McAllan said: “This project is hugely important to the sector and the sector is hugely important to Scotland.
