Potato Cyst Nematode (PCN)

Potato cyst nematodes (PCN) are microscopic, soil born plant pests which feed on the roots of potato plants as well as other root crops, they can persist in the soil for many years. PCN cause stunted plant growth, reduced root development and tuber yield and can be responsible for a yield loss of up to 35% (AHDB 2017).

Sampling soil is an important part of formulating a PCN control strategy, giving growers an idea of numbers, species and any hotspots in the field. Farm Image provide a specialised PCN sampling service in which soil is tested in Hectare grids. 49 cores of soil to a depth of 30cm are taken in each Ha. We use Fera Science Lab to carry out the analysis for detection of Potato Cyst Nematodes extraction from 1Kg of soil. This service provides a cyst count and viability assessment of PCN detected from soil. They can also provide cyst species identification and eggs per gram.