Growers urged not to overlook virus risk while rising to demand challenges
FLOODING in key European production areas, together with high wastage levels at harvest, have heightened the demand for British-grown potatoes but import issues resulting from Brexit are still an issue, it has been claimed.
While most suitable production land in the UK is already included in sustainable potato rotations, growers across the country need to fully capitalise on the opportunities this increased demand presents, according to FERA Science.Content continues after advertisements
The organisation stresses that virus management is the key area often overlooked, particularly in ware crops, but it can have a huge impact on crop yields. Fera is the only UK laboratory to be able to offer a full suite of virus testing and aphid monitoring and can help growers to understand the interactions of different species, and to provide historic data on aphid numbers and virus infection rates.
