Leading potato producer Albert Bartlett partners with Fera Science Ltd to control aphid numbers in Scottish crops

The UK’s leading supplier of fresh, frozen and chilled potatoes, Albert Bartlett, has formed a partnership with crop science firm Fera in a bid to control aphid numbers and combat viral infection levels in seed potato crops across Scotland.

Forty-five growers have been signed up to the Albert Bartlett-funded monitoring process for the 2024 seed potato growing season, each returning up to ten sampling traps, for analysis throughout the season.

Aphid types will be identified, counted and reported weekly by Fera, along with the virus transmission risk.

Aphids can cause stunting of potato plants, reducing yields and impacting tuber quality. And common viruses spread by aphids – such as Potato Leafroll Virus (PLRV) and Potato Virus Y (PVY) – can cause yield losses of 50 per cent in ware crops.

Virus pressure from aphids has increased in recent years due to milder winters, which has seen aphids taking flight earlier, and a reduction in approved and effective insecticides available for use in seed crops.  

Will Jackson of Albert Bartlett said: “Understanding the presence of the aphid species present is fundamental to determining the risk of virus transmission, allowing seed growers to target the use of the limited number of insecticides available.”

Growers can access their aphid results, and those of others taking part in the scheme, via weekly updates on the scheme’s website. Fera also provides a variety of text and email alerts which growers can choose to sign up to.

“Investing in the aphid monitoring scheme in 2024 will help safeguard the health status of the potato seed supplied to ware growers across the UK in 2025,” Jackson added.

Aphids are small sap-sucking insects whose common names include greenfly and blackfly. Aphids are among the most destructive insect pests on cultivated plants in temperate regions.

Control of aphids is difficult – in part because aphids often feed on the undersides of leaves. Natural enemies include predatory ladybirds, hoverfly larvae, and parasitic wasps.

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