Control measures

PVS has little effect on yield and consequently control measures are only justified for seed potato production.

Production of certified seed potatoes is based on a range of measures limiting the infection by viral diseases such as PVS and involves:

• the use of certified seed tubers resulting from the multiplication of virus-free material in a certification scheme (including specific multiplication procedures such as in-vitro micropropagation, intensive field inspections and large-scale post-harvest testing);
• the limited use of machinery for field production of pre-basic and basic seed material;
• the production in a favourable environment: in isolated areas with low virus/vector pressure and in fields away from household gardens or away from areas used for the production of ware and processed potatoes;
• the early roguing of infected plants and eradication of all sources of inoculum, e.g. weeds and volunteers, to limit the spread of viruses within the field by machinery;
• the treatment with mineral oils to reduce the transmission of non-persistent viruses such as the PVS. Insecticides are only effective against persistent viruses such as PLRV. 

Additional control measures in seed potato production include:

• early planting;
• early haulm destruction (by chemicals and/or mechanically) prior to maturity to limit the infection of daughter tubers by late flights of aphids.