The Scottish Government has outlined further measures it is taking to prevent the spread of the highly aggressive potato bacterial pathogen dickeya solani.

The presence of the pathogen has been confirmed in nine crops in Scotland this season. All affected crops were ware crops grown from seed from England and Wales and three varieties – Challenger, Innovator and Vivaldi – were affected.

Earlier this year the Scottish authorities announced new legislation to underpin a zero tolerance approach to dickeya.