New International project on potato diseases powdery scab and black scurf

New international work is under way to help potato growers assess the risk, before planting, of their crops getting powdery scab and black scurf (Rhizoctonia solani).

The Potato Council-funded £430,000 three-year study involves SCRI, SAC and the Food and Environment Research Agency (formerly CSL) with partners in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

It follows the success of earlier UK work which led to the DNA-based black dot prediction scheme now available as a commercial testing service.