Potato cyst nematodes (PCN) are a pest that has been steadily infecting crops, making them unusable for seed potato growth.
A group from the James Hutton Institute has been experimenting with PCN-resistant cultivars that don’t compromise flavor.
They have been collaborating with shops to ensure they can substitute potatoes, which are more susceptible, and they have found other varieties.
The PCN on roots of the James Hutton Institute
The microscopic nematodes adhere to the potato plant’s root.
According to James Price, the Institute’s molecular plant pathologist, potatoes “have every possibility to save the industry.
They will be able to maintain the lower levels in the soil since they are resistant to both species of potato cyst nematodes that are found in Scotland and the UK,” he said.
“This means that seed could be returned to these lands when PCN aren’t detectable in the soil any more.”
By 2050, scientists predicted that PCN will completely eradicate Scotland’s seed potato business.
Potatoes cultivated as seed are grown with the intention of selling them to other farmers so they can use them to develop “ware” potatoes.
The potatoes we purchase to eat at home, in restaurants, or as processed meals like chips and crisps are known as ware potatoes.
