GB Potatoes and CUPGRA Collaborate to Launch Exclusive PCN Guide

GB Potatoes and CUPGRA are pleased to announce the launch of the new, A Guide for Managing PCN in Great Britain – a comprehensive, science-based resource aimed at supporting the potato industry in addressing one of its most persistent challenges.

This exclusive resource has been developed to support growers, agronomists, and industry stakeholders in tackling one of the most serious threats facing UK potato production.

Available exclusively to members of both GB Potatoes and CUPGRA, the guide provides practical, up-to-date strategies for managing PCN — specifically Globodera pallida and G. rostochiensis.  These nematodes pose a significant risk to yields, soil health, and the long-term sustainability of UK potato production particularly considering the potential withdrawal of key nematicide crop protection products.

The new PCN guide offers integrated, evidence-based recommendations covering:

• Cultural control methods
• Biological and chemical control options
• Variety selection and resistance management
• Monitoring and diagnosis practices
• Sustainable farming approaches

To ensure all potato growers benefit from this initiative, a free factsheet summarising the key points from the guide will soon be made publicly available.  This factsheet provides growers with a snapshot of the latest thinking in PCN control, supporting better decision-making across the sector.

“This guide is about empowering our members and the wider industry with the tools they need to safeguard the future of potato farming,” says Scott Walker, CEO of GB Potatoes and David Almond, Director of CUPGRA, “It directly addresses the growing challenges posed by PCN in potatoes — challenges that threaten the economic viability and long-term sustainability of our industry.

“Eradicating PCN from infested land would require extreme measures, such as prolonged fallow periods or complete soil sterilisation, which are simply unfeasible in a commercial farming context.  Instead, what is needed is a pragmatic, integrated approach that limits the development of PCN populations over time using a combination of complementary strategies.

“This guide provides specific, practical crop protection measures tailored to PCN, covering everything from cultural and biological controls to chemical treatments and varietal resistance.  Given the global economic significance of PCN, research and innovation in this area is ongoing, and the guide also outlines some of the latest developments in crop protection strategies from around the world.”

Notes

The guide has been written by leading nematology experts Matthew Back and Katarzyna Dybal from Harper Adams University.

CUPGRA, with over 40 years of supporting research and knowledge exchange in potatoes, and GB Potatoes, a unifying voice for the GB potato sector, are committed to ensuring the industry has access to the tools and knowledge it needs to thrive.

Accessing the Guide

To access the full PCN Management Guide, members of GB Potatoes and CUPGRA can log in via their respective member website portals.

For non-members, the free summary factsheet will be available soon at

www.gb-potatoes.co.uk and www.cupgra.com

You can join GB Potatoes by following this link Join GB Potatoes

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For further information contact Graham Bannister at GB Potatoes, gb@grahambannister.co.uk or David Almond at CUPGRA, da@davidalmondac.co.uk