Seed Potato Certification in Finland

Abstract

Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira, Unit of Seed Testing and Organic Production Control is responsible of the seed potato inspection and testing in Finland. The seed potato production area was 1290 hectares year 2006. The seed potato production is concentrated in the Nothern parts of Finland where the High Grade Region (Tyrnävä and Liminka in the Oulu region) for the production of seed potato is located. Four generations of prebasic seed (class SS, S, SEE and SE), three generations of basic seed (class EC1, EC2 and EC3) and one generation of certified seed (class A or B) are produced in Finland. The seed potato inspection schema of Finland includes several steps: the field inspection, the laboratory tests of potato cyst nematodes, bacterial ring rot, brown rot and potato virus and finally the visual tuber inspection. The field inspection, sampling and visual tuber inspection are done by the authorized inspectors. For prebasic and basic seed the inspectors make two official field inspections. For certified seed only one field inspection is needed. Official requirements are set for varietal purity, rogues, potato virus, black leg (Erwinia spp.) and Rhizoctonia. During the field inspection the background information as previous crop is checked. The soil sample for testing potato cyst nematodes is taken per each hectare. The potato cyst nematodes (Globodera sp.) are quarantine organisms and the seed potato production is not possible on the field infected by the nematodes. In the autumn the tubers for winter tests in the laboratory are sampled. For bacterial ring rot a sample is 200 tubers/ha and for virus tests 200 tubers/field. Brown rot is tested as a survey of seed potato production. The testing method for bacterial ring rot (Clavibacter michiganensis ssp. sepedonicus) and brown rot (Ralstonia solanacearum) is the immunofluorescense (IF) method based on the specific antibodies. These quarantine organisms are not accepted in the seed potato production. The potato virus Y-, A-, X-, S-, M- and Potato Leaf Roll are tested once during seed potato certification process usually as the prebasic seed. For the other seed classes the potato virus Y and potato virus A are tested. For certified seed potato class A there is a list of varieties which are tested. The seed class B is not routinely tested. The testing method is ELISAtest. The seed potato companies need certificate labels before sorting and packing potatoes. A visual tuber inspection is done by the local inspectors. A sample of 400 tubers/50 tn is cut by knife and tubers are inspected one by one. There are requirements for soil, dry and wet rot, external blemishes, common scab, black scurf, skin spot and deep-pitted scab. The quarantine organisms or visual symtops of moptop virus or tobacco rattle virus are not accepted. If all steps of inspection and testing are according to legislation, the seed potato lot is officially certified and can be marketed as seed potato to the farmers.