In June-July, the North Sea Interregional Department of Rosselkhoznadzor on the territory of the VIR branch “Polar Experimental Station” monitored the quarantine phytosanitary condition of land plots for potato cultivation. Plantings of the world collection of potatoes and economic plantings with the adjacent territory were examined on a total area of 8 hectares, 64 soil samples were selected for research at the Federal State Budgetary Institution “Leningradskaya MVL”.
The survey was carried out to identify the contamination of land plots with dangerous quarantine objects – pale potato nematode and golden potato nematode. According to experts, no dangerous potato pests were found.
Scientists note that crop losses in case of severe contamination of the soil with nematodes can be 70%, there are cases of complete loss of the crop in the formed bald patches.
The main danger of this quarantine object lies in the fact that it is almost impossible to identify it visually at the beginning of infection on the site. After the initial introduction of the infection to the site with a monoculture of potatoes (continuously growing potatoes in the same place), the foci of infection appear after 5-7 years, and then the process of accumulation of infection in the soil and the death of plants occurs at a very rapid pace. That is why it is very important to detect it in time and prevent further reproduction and spread.
