The Seed Potatoes Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016

PART 2 Pre-basic seed potatoes

4.—(1) A growing crop report stating that the seed potatoes are capable of being marketed as pre-basic seed potatoes shall not be issued unless the authorised officer is satisfied that the land on which the seed potatoes are growing—

(a) is land which, as a result of a soil test carried out by the Department prior to the planting of the crop, has been found not to be contaminated with Potato Cyst Nematode;

(b) is not demarcated under Schedule 15 to the Plant Health Order; and

(c) is land which has not been used for growing potatoes at any time during the six years immediately preceding the planting of the crop.

(2) Sub-paragraph (1)(a) does not apply in the case of seed potatoes grown in a soil-free medium.

5.  A growing crop report stating that the seed potatoes are capable of being marketed as pre-basic seed potatoes shall not be issued unless the authorised officer is satisfied that—

(a) the seed potatoes are derived from nuclear stock or mother plants that are free from Blackleg., Dickeya, Leafroll, PVA, PVY and Potato viruses M, S, and X;

(b) the seed potatoes are grown in the year of application for certification on a farm on which only pre-basic seed potatoes are planted;

(c) the growing plants are free from symptoms of Blackleg;

(d) the number of growing plants not breeding true to the variety or are of a different variety is not likely to be more than 0.01%;

(e) in the immediately succeeding crop produced from the seed potatoes the number of growing plants showing symptoms of virus infection is not likely to be more than 0.5%;

(f) the growing plants are free from symptoms caused by PVA, PVY and Leafroll;

(g) the number of growing plants with mosaic symptoms, other than symptoms caused by PVA and PVY, is not likely to be more than 0.1%; and

(h) the number of field generations does not exceed four.