The BPC has urged growers to remain vigilant in the ongoing battle to reduce the risk of serious disease threats to UK crops.

In particular, ware growers are being warned to keep a watch out for ‘unusual symptoms’ take hygiene measures on farm to protect against diseases such as Dickeya dianthicola and ask their supplier for Safe Haven seed.

BPC seed and export manager Iain Dykes said that the council believes that Dickeya is far more widespread than the 40 cases reported to date, but added that this represented only one of a number of diseases prevalent at present. “The best protection for the industry from devastating diseases such as ring rot and brown rot is to source seed produced under the Safe Haven Certification Scheme. Around half of the British seed area is now in the scheme, and I’d strongly encourage non-assured seed growers to join.”

Dykes pointed out that there is now insurance or compensation available in Britain for ring rot, with a serious outbreak potentially devastating both the company involved and the wider industry.

The BPC is advising growers to check varietal susceptibility, remove rots and clean the grader prior to use. To reduce the risk of rots developing in store, growers should harvest early, minimise damage to tubers and ventilate using dry air. Growers should also avoid poorly-drained fields and short rotations, and try to minimise de-sprouting at planting.

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