Integrated control of potato pathogens through seed potato certification and provision of clean seed potatoes.

摘要

Seed potato production in Wisconsin (USA) is an example of production and certification of planting material for a staple crop remaining in the public domain for a century. This paper examines the development of this programme and discusses factors that affect its sustainability. It also examines historical data that document trends in disease control over time, correlates these trends with changes in pathogen epidemiology or crop management practices, and discusses possible future challenges. Over the past century, certification has gradually reduced the incidence of mechanically transmitted vascular potato pathogens that lack insect vectors to undetectable levels, and much of this reduction occurred prior to the use of tissue culture and the development of immunoassays. Starting in 2004, a decrease in Potato virus Y incidence occurred following comprehensive science-based changes to early generation seed potato production. The cost of the certification programme has not increased in two decades, and the fees charged are comparable to those in 1913. The cooperative nature of the seed potato certification programme has contributed to its sustainability across generations.Digital Object Identifier http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-05-13-0477-FE