Monitoring and control of the potato brown rot bacterium in industrial potato washings

• This pathogen has quarantine status in Europe • Washing and/or processing of potatoes from affected areas could contaminate GB watercourses • A new automated molecular diagnostic test means the pathogen can now be reliably detected in industrial potato washings and sewage effluents • As such, effluents from industrial potato washing can be monitored before release into the environment • The test has also been used to validate a range of secondary waste treatments for control of the bacterium and resulting guidance is given in this leaflet. Monitoring and control of the potato brown rot bacterium in industrial potato washings Potato brown rot poses a serious threat to GB potato production and vigilance is required to prevent its introduction and spread. Several isolated cases have occurred linked to the presence of the causative bacterium (Ralstonia solanacearum) in certain watercourses. The handling of imported potatoes is one potential source of this contamination, so this leaflet reports research on the monitoring and control of the bacterium in industrial potato washings.