POTATO PRODUCTION AND CURRENT SITUATION OF

STOLBUR PHYTOPLASMA IN TURKEY

Dr. Aynur KARAHANPlant Protection Central Research Institute, Ankara

OUTLINE

Potato production in Turkey

Seed potato production system in Turkey

Current situation of Stolbur phytoplasma in

Turkey

Seed potato production areas

Total potato production area is ~145.000 ha

Production:

~ 5 million tone

Seed potato production of Turkey

Seed potatoes are imported from different countries in Turkey. High Category Seed Potato Production on a commercial scale has

just started in our country. Two government potato research institutes and private companies

produce seed potatoes by using tissue culture and minitubertechnology.

Seed potato certification application is carried outaccording to the “Regulation on the Marketing andCertification of Seed Potatoes”.

Seed potato production of Turkey

Soil Control

Before the production 1 soil sample per ha is taken byofficial inspector, then send to the laboratories. If anyharmful organism is found, production applications ofprivate companies are rejected by the Ministry.

Field Control

During the growing period visual inspection is done by officialinspector from the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock.Suspected samples send to laboratory for analysis. If the sample isinfested with quarantine organisms, the production is stopped. Thearea is taken under quarantine.

Lot Control

200 tuber per 10 da taken by official inspector analyses in Official

Laboratories

Visual observation for quality organisms

Laboratory testing for quarantine organisms

First record of Stolbur was on tomato in Ankara province in 1953

First detection of Stolbur based on molecular methods was done on

potato in 2010

First record of Stolbur was on potato in Bolu and Sakarya provinces in 1965

First detection of stolbur based on molecular methods was done on tomato in 2008

In recently, stolbur phytoplasma have become increasingly important in potato production areas.

Plants with symptoms similar phytoplasma sent to the laboratories also have become increasingly important.

Stolbur phytoplasma: we know its occurrance in Turkey.

What about the situation of other phytoplasma diseases on potato?

New project:

We are starting a new project about the phytoplasma diseases of potato in Central Anatolia in 2013.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION