The study, presented at the NB Potato Conference and Tradeshow on February 6, 2020, confirmed that the 2019 seed potatoes harvested in New Brunswick, Canada have the lowest Y virus infection rates in years. magazine Potato Country magazine.
The study was led by Dr. Matthews Singh and Tyler Mackenzie of the New Brunswick Agricultural Certification Services Laboratory (ACS) in Fredericton.
Dr McKenzie showed how the Y virus infection rate in potatoes has dropped dramatically since 2009, and explained that this result was a direct result of strict regulatory restrictions on the presence of the virus in potato seed lots over the past decade and close monitoring of the virus in the field.
In 2009, the spread of the Y virus was such that the volume of affected tubers in the seed potato batch averaged 11,8%. In 2019, no more than 0,63% of affected tubers were recorded in a seed potato batch.
We also note that according to the rules in force in the country, a seed potato batch can contain no more than 4% of tubers infected with the Y virus. If higher rates are detected, potatoes cannot be sold as seed.
The researchers cited evidence proving that the bulk of the seed crop of the 2019 harvest (98,1%) contained less than 4% of tubers infected with the Y virus, which is close to the record high of the 2016 crop (98,4% of the seed potato was in compliance with established standards) .