Quality of seed spuds improves
Quality of seed spuds improves
ALTHOUGH seed potato tuber numbers are down in Scotland this year, the overall quality of seed is likely to be better than in previous years, reports leading seed potato supplier, Greenvale AP.
"Early indications are that this years seed potato crop will have reduced levels of powdery scab," says Paul Coleman, head of technical and agronomy services at Greenvale AP.
"A reduction was predicted following higher soil temperatures this year, and less rainfall during tuber initiation. Powdery scab prefers cool wet conditions. The findings are particularly evident in fields of Cara, which is normally found to be particularly susceptible to the disease.
"Last year we saw relatively high levels of powdery scab particularly in fields of Saturna. However, after the burn down of the first crops in Scotland, at this stage of the growing season the seed quality appears to be very good." *