Potato Leafroll Virus (PLRV) can significantly affect the yield and quality of seed and ware potatoes. PLRV levels remained very low across GB for many years, but recent seasons have seen a resurgence both domestically and across other major European potato-producing countries. The causes of this change are not yet fully understood, and the information that does exist is scattered across scientific studies and day-to-day industry experience, making it hard to view the full picture. In this project we will gather expert opinions from the potato industry alongside existing scientific and technical knowledge on PLRV. These will be synthesised to produce a comprehensive review of the factors that influence PLRV risk in GB. This information will support industry decision-making by improving understanding of how PLRV risk is shaped under current and emerging production conditions.

Image Credit: PLRV - Eugene E. Nelson, Bugwood.org

The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) Halyomorpha halys is an invasive species of the shield bug family. It has been intercepted in the UK on several occasions, likely posing a ‘when’ not ‘if’ risk to crops. The BMSB attacks a wide range of hosts including raspberry and sweet cherry, two main soft and stone fruit crops grown in Scotland. The conditions in Scotland appear to be suitable for the establishment of this pest and the Scottish soft fruit industry are concerned about the threat. The soft fruit industry trades with countries with strict biosecurity measures for this pest, and assurances are being sought to verify that every measure is being taken to assess whether the pest is present in Scotland. A failure to do this could have economic consequences for both local markets and on Scottish export markets. This project will survey for BMSB presence and model the potential spread of BMSB in Scotland, including the likely effects of climate change.

Impact: Investigate the suitability of the Scottish climate for establishment and spread of the pest should it be introduced to provide data for a Scottish-specific BMSB risk assessment.