Comparisons to the
UNECE STANDARDSTANDARDSTANDARDSTANDARD concerning
the marketing and commercial quality control of
SEED POTATOES, 2008SEED POTATOES, 2008SEED POTATOES, 2008SEED POTATOES, 2008
Willem SchrageNorth Dakota State Seed Department, USA
UNECE Seed Potato Standard
� The goal of the Standard is to act as a world reference intended to facilitate fair international trade by:
� - Creating a harmonized certification system
� - Promoting its use� - Defining harmonized quality
requirements for seed potatoes.
Purposes of Seed Certification
� Indication of minimum quality requirements of seed potatoes.
� Marketing tool.
� Legal instrument to have only certain seed classes planted within disease tolerance.
Three Pillars of a Seed Potato
Program
Industry/growers
Research
Regulations/enforcement
IndustryIndustryIndustryIndustry
�Suppliers & Users
Research
Which Characteristics Are Relevant?
Which Tolerances Are Feasible?
Trapping, Testing .
Regulations
Enforcement:
� Documentation � Trace Back� Inspections� Testing� Tolerances� Certification
UNECE Standard & Other UNECE Standard & Other UNECE Standard & Other UNECE Standard & Other
Regulations indicateRegulations indicateRegulations indicateRegulations indicate
Varietal identity and purity
Genealogy and traceability
Diseases and pests
External quality and physiology
Tuber sizing and container labelling
Certification Procedures
Planting approved seed stock. (Documentation, Trace Back)
Making visual inspections during growing season for disease and off-types, and submitting to post harvest test.
Observing tubers at harvest and/or storage.Grade/tuber quality/lot) inspection made at time
of shipping.Labelling
Disease Testing/SamplingDisease Testing/SamplingDisease Testing/SamplingDisease Testing/Sampling
Effort to avoid zero tolerance diseases
Preventative, because of potential symptomless
carriersPart of maintenance program
Seed Classes
�Based on:
•Previous class/generations
•Tolerances (mostly in the field)
Acres Quantity Shipped
Size
Lot Certification
Lot origination from tissue culture No Yes
by
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Year of Production
Greenhouse (insect excluding) & sterile soil
Field (note special measures below)
Certification No. Number of years produced
Certifying State
Summer Field Readings Post harvest readings
Field inspections Location
1st 2nd 3rd Final FINAL
%PVY %PVX
Other DiseasesNo. of years since last found on Not found this year during
ELISA test results for latent viruses
Less Than %VERT + %FUSARIUM +
%EARLY BLIGHT
%VARIETAL MIXTURE
Less Than %BLACKLEG
%LEAF ROLL Sample No.
%MOSAIC Plant Count
Production environment pedigree: Fill 1 column per production year, use different initials in Greenhouse and Field boxes for different farms
(e.g. JSF for John Smith Farms); indicate a tuber-united lot with a '+" after farm initials; describe other footnotes in notes below.
in field soil
Certifying State/Prov.
Seed Class/Gen. Year micropropagated for planting
Certification #
Variety
City, State/Prov.
Name
Grower Importer
Summer Field Readings Post harvest readings
Field inspections Location
1st 2nd 3rd Final FINAL
%PVY %PVX
Other Diseases
Bacterial Ring Rot
Late Blight
Eligible for recertification in area of production Yes No
The above information is accurate to the best of our knowledge:
Date
Telephone
Program official / title
Agency
Notes:
No. of years since last found on this grower's farm, or NONE ON
RECORD if free > 10 years
Not found this year during normal certification field
inspectionsNot known to occur in growers
area
ELISA test results for latent viruses
Less Than %VERT + %FUSARIUM +
%EARLY BLIGHT
%VARIETAL MIXTURE
Less Than %BLACKLEG
%LEAF ROLL Sample No.
%MOSAIC Plant Count
UNECE Classifications
� Pre-basic TC� Pre-basic� Basic class I� Basic class II� Certified class I� Certified class II
Nuclear Stock (SASA microplants)
�
Pre-basic TC (microplants/mini-tubers)
�
Pre-basic PB 1 - 4
�
Basic Super EliteSE 1 - 3
�
Basic Elite E 1 – 3�
Basic A
Scottish Seed Potato Classification Scheme
Netherlands Mother
Plant
Tissue
Culture
S
C
SE
E
A
S
S
SFirst Year Clone
Second Year Clone
Third Year Clone
Class S
Fourth Year Clone
Class S
CANADA
� PRE-ELITE� ELITE 1� ELITE 2� ELITE 3� ELITE 4� FOUNDATION� CERTIFIED.
US Export
FG 1FG 2FG 3FG 4FG 5FG 6
Claims on plant health
Country programs can claim freedom from certain
diseases e.g:
Brown Rot, Ring Rot, Dickeya, Colorado Potato Beetle,
Tuber Moth, Root Knot Nematodes, PSTV.
Potato Wart, Potato Cyst Nematodes.
Zero Tolerances
� Quarantine requirements should only be implemented when they are based on a scientifically supported claim of freedom in the area.
� The UNECE standard has a zero tolerance for any of these serious diseases.
Crop Rotation
� Scotland and the Netherlands have crop rotation requirements.
� The UNECE has no requirements for crop rotation, neither do Canada and the US.
UNECE STANDARD FOR SEED POTATOES (SUMMARY OF TOLERANCES) PBTC PreB. BASIC BASIC CERT. CERT.
CLASS I
CLASS II
CLASS I CLASS II
1. CROP TOLERANCES
PCN, Wart, BRR, Brown Rot, PSTV, Stolbur
0 0 0 0 0 0
Black leg (%) 0 0 0,5 1 1,5 2
Virus tolerance 0 0,1 0,4 (0,2 sev.)
0,8 (0,4 sev.)
2 (1 sev.) 10 (2 sev.)
Other varieties & off types
0 0,01 0,25 0,25 0,5 0,5
Disease PBTC PB 1- 4 Basic SE Basic E Basic A
Leafroll 0 0 0 0.1 0.4
Severe mosaic 0 0 0.01 0.1 0.4
Mild mosaic 0 0 0.05 0.5 0.8
Total virus 0 0 0.06 0.5 0.8
Blackleg (Pectobacterium spp)
0 0 0.25 0.5 1.0
Blackleg (Dickeya spp)
0 0 0 0 0
Deviation from type 0 0 0.05 0.05 0.01
Minimum standard for growing crop inspection
(% faults allowed)
Class S SE E A C
Severe mosaic/ 0.025 0.05 0.1 0.25 2leafroll
Mild mosaic 0.025 0.05 0.1 2 10
Total max. 0.025 0.05 0.1 2 10
Blackleg 0 0 0 0.03 0.1(Erwinia spp)
Var. mix: 0 0 00.05 0.5
Netherlands: Crop tolerances: field inspection (%)
PRE-EL E1 E2 E3 E4 FD Cert.
PSTV+BRR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Total of all
viruses0 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.5 2
Total of blackleg and wilts
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.5 1 2
Var.mix. 0 0 0 0.05 0.1 0.2 0.5
CANADA Crop Tolerances
US Export FG1 FG2 FG3 FG4 FG5
Tolerances
PSTV+BRR 0 0 0 0 0
Total of all viruses
0 0.1 0.1 0.25 0.5
Total of blackleg and/or wilts
0 0.1 0.1 0.25 0.5
Varietal mixtures
- 0.1 0.1 0.25 0.5
UNECE: Post Harvest EvaluationDirect progeny tolerances
Pre-basic TC
Pre-basic
Basic class I
Basic class II
Certif.class I
Cert. class II
Other varieties and off types
0 0.01 0.25 0.25 0.5 0.5
Virus (%) 0 0.5 2 (1 severe)
4 (2 severe)
10 (5 severe)
10 severe
Netherlands: Post Harvest Test
� Tolerances (total virus) :� Class S 0 in 200 tubers� Class SE 1 in 200 tubers
� Class E 2 in 200 tubers
� Class A 5 in 100 tubers
� Class C 10 in 100 tubers
Netherlands
� A sample of 200 tubers per seed lot is taken for a test on brown rot and ring rot, using EU-protocols.
Post Harvest Test: US
� Sample size generally, 400 to 600 tubers dependent on field size.
� Virus Tolerance for re-certification: .5%� Or 1%
� Canada follows US protocol for US exports
Canada Post Harvest Test
�A sample is tested for BRR.�US carries out BRR-testing
according to Canadian Protocol for exports to Canada.
• Surveillance sampling is conducted for Brown Rot Ring Rot and blackleg caused by Dickeya spp.
• All consignments receive a tuber inspection each time a lot is presented for marketing
Scottish post harvest controls
• Post harvest testing is conducted only where crops identified as at risk of virus infection
Conclusions
� Comparisons between seed certification systems need to keep in mind the three pillars of any certification program:
� Industry,
� Research
� Regulations
Conclusions
� The UNECE Standard generally has similar numbers as other country programs.
� The UNECE Standard has a zero tolerance for diseases generally considered as quarantine.
Scotland: specialised in potatoes
• Ideal climate for growing potatoes
• Highly specialised in seed potatoes
• Potatoes form 80% of all Scottish plant exports
• equals around 25% of the total value of Scotland’s agriculture, fisheries & forestry exports outside the EU
• around 65,000 tonnes per year
• export to 30 - 40 non-EU countries
Scottish seed potatoes
• Scotland is free from many important potato pests and diseases
• No Brown Rot, Ring Rot or Dickeya, ever found in Scottish seed production
• Low virus and aphid pressure
• Long Rotation interval
• 5 years for Basic seed• 7 years for pre-basic seed
High health status
Field Inspection Pass rates in Scotland
The 12 year average inspection results in Scotland are:
95% Passed at entry class 4% downgraded, <1% rejected
Canadian Potato IndustryCanadian Potato Industry
Canadian Potato Production and trade
� Long history of producing high quality seed and table potatoes
� Seed Potato Certification Service initiated in 1914
� Strong international player in seed & fresh potatoes• 2007-2008 exported: 72,000
tonnes seed potatoes • (value= $25Million)
• 2007-2008 exported: 525,000 tonnes of ware potatoes
• (value= $155 Million)
*Source: Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, FAOSTAT
24%,24%,
21%21%17%,17%,
15%15%
Harvest Area: 151,393 ha
Quantity; 4,724,460
tonnes
Average yield: 31.2 t/ha
Source: Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, FAOSTAT
Canadian Varieties
� ~180 registered varieties
� Top varieties produced include:
• Russet Burbank
• Goldrush
• Superior
• Russet Norkotah
• Shepody
• Yukon Gold
• Chieftain
• Atlantic
• Norland
• Kennebec
Canadian Seed Potato Certification Program
� Domestic & Export Certification
� Advanced technology, skilled growers, trained inspectors & qualified professionals
� Nationally delivered and administered by Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
� CFIA officers responsible for maintaining the Canadian standard for production & certification
� Seed sold on the Canadian market must meet the strict standard enforced by CFIA
Canadian Seed Potato Certification Program
� Main elements include:• Disease free nuclear stock
• seed produced from tissue culture under sterile conditions
• Limited generations
• flush through system/minimize disease
• Disease & varietal purity standards
• multiple field inspections, laboratory testing, post-harvest testing & sound agronomic practices
• The Canadian standards align with or are more stringent than tolerances within the UNECE standard
End of the rowEnd of the row