Seed Potato Classification Scheme.


The Scottish Seed Potato Classification Scheme	Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture

Scottish Seed Potato Classification Scheme - Register of Seed Potato Crops 2009

Seed crops undergo two inspections during the growing season

Scottish Seed Potatoes are of a consistently high quality

A growing number of varieties can now be obtained from organic stocks

162 varieties of potato were submitted for classification in the current year

Seed potatoes are subject to tuber inspection before labelling

Samples of seed potatoes are routinely tested for viruses

This is the 2009 version of the Seed Potato Register.

Introduction

The Register is a list of seed crops which have passed growing crop inspection by the Certifying Authority (SASA) and for which publication has been agreed with the applicant. All seed potatoes presented for marketing are labelled by SASA and must comply with the requirements of The Seed Potatoes (Scotland) Regulations 2000 and subsequent amendment Regulations, The Plant Health (Scotland) Order 2005, and all relevant European Directives in relation to the production and marketing of pre-basic and basic seed potatoes

Initial Stock

Scotland's seed production is based on micropropagation accompanied by a comprehensive testing programme to ensure freedom from a range of quarantine and non-quarantine pests. The production of this initial material (nuclear stock) is done under official control at SASA.

Certification System

Micropropagation facilities approved by SASA are responsible for the commercial multiplication of microplants to produce mini-tuber (Pre-basic TC) or seed potatoes for classification as Pre-basic TC (mini-tubers) or Pre-basic 1 (field). These initial tubers are multiplied by specialist Pre-basic producers for a number of years before being used to produce the lower classes of basic category seed potatoes. Certification in Scotland is a flush–out system in which stocks of seed potatoes can only be multiplied for a limited number of generations.

The categories and classes in descending order of health and varietal purity are:

Category	Class	Community Grade	Label colour
Pre-basic	Pre-basic TC	Not applicable	White with purple diagonal stripe
Pre-basic	Pre-basic 1, 2, 3 & 4	Not applicable	White with purple diagonal stripe
Basic	Super Elite 1, 2 & 3	EC 2	White
Basic	Elite 1, 2 & 3	EC 2	White
Basic	A	EC 3	White

Note: The number after a class denotes the number of years that a crop has been entered at that class.
Scotland does not produce seed potatoes of 'certified' category.

Rotation requirement

(interval since previous crop):
7 years – Pre-basic
5 years – SE and Elite

Land Freedom from Pests

Free from Wart Disease
Soil sample to be tested and found free from PCN before planting

Growing Crop Inspections

At least 2

Labelling

Each lot presented for marketing is inspected for tuber faults and disease

Potato Council Safe Haven Scheme

The Potato Council operates a voluntary Safe Haven Scheme which aims to minimise the risk of introduction and/or spread of potato diseases . More information about the scheme and information about sourcing seed from producers within the scheme can be found by following this link:

Safe Haven Scheme

The Scottish Government is not responsible for the content of the information nor does it play any role in overseeing the Safe Haven Scheme.

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