Scotland and Yorkshire under aphid alert

An aphid alert has been issued to seed potato growers in Scotland and Yorkshire, warning the total caught in suction traps so far this season is the highest recorded in the last 10 years.

Of particular concern is the peach potato aphid which is known to vector potato viruses.

According to Scottish Agronomy’s senior agronomist, Eric Anderson, the numbers of these aphids being caught in yellow water traps are ‘huge’.

In the third week of June, 39 were caught in one of his traps in Fife, which is more than he said he would expect to catch in an entire season.

The AHDB’s aphid monitoring water trap results mirror the findings and show the extreme vector pressure affecting most of the seed growing area of Scotland and the Yorkshire Wolds.

According to the levy body, the situation has developed from the mild winter causing early first flights of peach–potato aphids followed by a warm spring, and the heavy rain in the first week of June did not hamper their build up.

Mr Anderson said agronomy advice was changing because of concerns over the peach-potato aphid.

“We normally advocate not using a systemic insecticide until peach-potato aphids are being caught,” he said.

“Usually we have a breathing space of two to three weeks from emergence but this season crops were emerging in early June into unprecedented vector pressure.

“So from the outset growers needed to be applying a systemic + pyrethroid fortnightly with a pyrethroid in between.

“Given the intense pressure from peach–potato aphids the role of the systemic insecticides is going to be more important than ever.”

Peach-potato aphids.