Virologist Brenda Coutts has been named the 2014 AUSVEG Researcher of the Year

A West Australian virologist has been named the 2014 AUSVEG Researcher of the Year.

Brenda Coutts is a Department of Agriculture and Food of Western Australia (DAFWA) researcher, who has been working on potato virus Y, since 2012.

Potato virus Y, or PVY, can reduce crop yields by anything from 10 to 80 per cent.

The virus can also reduce quality of the potato in the remaining crop.

WA potato growers initially funded the research when the virus was discovered in crops around Manjimup and Pemberton.

Ms Coutts says her research was based on grower concern.

"We've actually been able to control it within WA," she says.

"Whereas in Victoria and South Australia, a lot of their crops are highly affected and they are having trouble managing the virus."

The virus can infect weeds like nightshade as well as the potatoes themselves.

Ms Coutts says growers can manage the virus by ensuring they have clean seed stock.

She says her research has found different potato varieties respond in different ways to the virus.

"We've also found that you can actually control the virus to some extent by using disinfectant."