Potato farmers fear epidemic of new disease
from
The Guardian
bq. Ring rot, a disease which could destroy half of Britain's potato crop, has been found for the first time in this country, on a Welsh seed potato farm.
The potentially devastating bacterium, which could ruin the industry, has prompted a search to trace any contacts with the farm to prevent a foot and mouth-style epidemic.
bq. Environment department officials have traced the outbreak to the Netherlands and seed potatoes supplied to the Welsh farm for cultivation. A search is now on for other British farms which may have imported Dutch potatoes. All their stock will be tested.
bq. The outbreak was discovered in routine laboratory checks of Provento potatoes being exported to the Canary Islands. The Spanish authorities have been warned and all the potentially infected stock impounded.
A search on
Google for the bacteria turns up over 4K entries - a lot of them are refering to Gene Sequencing so maybe a GM potato is being developed with a resistence...
Posted by DaveH at November 14, 2003 3:38 PM