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Pier Giacomo BianchiChairman of the Specialised

Section

Geneva4 november 2008

UNECE SPECIALISED SECTION ON THE STANDARDISATION OF SEED POTATOES

REPORT TO THE WORKING PARTYACTIVITY 2008

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UNECE SPECIALISED SECTION ON SEED POTATOES

MEETINGS 2008

• CHANGINS (14 FEBRUARY): BUREAU

• GENEVA (17 - 19 MARCH): ANNUAL MEETING (38th session)

• GENEVA (1 JUNE): ORGANISING COMMITTEE OF THE KISLOVODSK SEMINAR

• KYSLOVODSK (8 – 12 SEPTEMBER): SEMINAR

• EMMELORD (20 – 21 OCTOBER): EXTENDED BUREAU

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UNECE SPECIALISED SECTION ON SEED POTATOES

ACTIVITY 2008 FOCUS ON:

• DEVELOPMENT

• PROMOTION

OF THE STANDARD

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UNECE SPECIALISED SECTION ON SEED POTATOES

DEVELOPMENT OF THE STANDARD

• PROPOSAL OF AMENDMENTS

• ITEMS BEING DISCUSSED

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UNECE SPECIALISED SECTION ON SEED POTATOES

PROPOSAL OF AMENDMENT OF THE STANDARD

ASSESSMENT KEYFOR NETTED SCAB

-ANNEX VIII- (estimated 33.3%)

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UNECE SPECIALISED SECTION ON SEED POTATOES

UPDATED LIST OF PESTS AND DISEASES

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UNECE SPECIALISED SECTION ON SEED POTATOES

COMMON POSITION ADOPTED BY THE SPECIALISED SECTION ON SEED POTATOES VIGOR

• PLANT VIGOUR IS A VERY IMPORTANT QUALITY ASPECT OF SEED POTATOES, ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTHERN REGIONS WITH HIGHER TEMPERATURES.

• GENOTYPE DETERMINES LOSS OF VIGOUR; SOME VARIETIES ARE VERY SUSCEPTIBLE, WHILE OTHERS ARE MORE TOLERANT. GROWING AND STORAGE CONDITIONS, ESPECIALLY TEMPERATURE, INFLUENCE PLANT VIGOUR.

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UNECE SPECIALISED SECTION ON SEED POTATOES

COMMON POSITION ADOPTED BY THE SPECIALISED SECTION ON SEED POTATOES VIGOUR (cont.)

• DETERMINING PLANT VIGOUR IS STILL VERY DIFFICULT IN SEED LOTS.

• THE ONLY INDIRECT REFERENCE TO VIGOUR IN THE UNECE STANDARD IS A TOLERANCE FOR SHRIVELLED TUBERS.

• STRICTER REQUIREMENTS FOR PLANT VIGOUR CANNOT YET BE PRESCRIBED BY THE STANDARD

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UNECE SPECIALISED SECTION ON SEED POTATOES

DEVELOPMENT OF THE STANDARD

ITEMS BEING DISCUSSED :• QUESTIONNAIRES TO COLLECT

INFORMATION ON CROP INSPECTION PRACTICES AND POST-HARVEST TESTS;

• PROCEDURES FOR ASSESSMENT OF NON-COMPLIANCE AT DESTINATION;

• LIST OF DISEASES AND PESTS

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UNECE SPECIALISED SECTION ON SEED POTATOES

PROMOTION OF THE STANDARD

• SEMINAR IN KISLOVODSK

• UNECE WEEKLY

• PROMOTIONAL LEAFLET

• BOOK ON POTATO RECIPES FOR THE FAO YEAR OF POTATO

• CO-OPERATION WITH OECD, EU AND IPPC

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UNECE SPECIALISED SECTION ON SEED POTATOES

FUTURE WORK

• PROCEDURES FOR ASSESSMENT OF NON-COMPLIANCE AT DESTINATION

• PTNRD (TUBER NECROTIC RINGSPOT DISEASE)

• IMAGES FOR THE LIST OF DISEASES AND PESTS

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UNECE SPECIALISED SECTION ON SEED POTATOES

FUTURE WORK (cont.)

• ERWINIA (PECTOBACTERIUM – DICKEYA)

• PCN (POTATO CYSTS NEMATODE)

• TUBER MOTH (PHTHORIMAEA OPERCULELLA)

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UNECE SPECIALISED SECTION ON SEED POTATOES

FUTURE WORK (cont.)

• INTERNAL QUALITY• CROP INSPECTION PRACTICES • ELECTRONIC CERTIFICATION • POST-HARVEST TESTS• QUESTIONNAIRE ON VARIETAL IDENTITY• COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT ISPMS OF

IPPC ON “PEST FREE POTATO MICROPROPAGATIVE MATERIAL AND MINITUBERS FOR INTERNATIONAL TRADE”

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UNECE SPECIALISED SECTION ON SEED POTATOES

NEXT MEETINGS • EXTENDED BUREAU - CHANGINS January

2009• SEMINAR FOR THE PROMOTION OF THE

STANDARD & EXTENDED BUREAU - CAIRO 17-20 March 2009

• EXTENDED BUREAU – Belgium & Luxembourg October 2009

• SPECIALISED SECTION – Geneva March 2010• EXTENDED BUREAU – Canada October 2010

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UNECE SPECIALISED SECTION ON SEED POTATOES

Thank you, for your kind attention