An Integrated Approach in the Control of Potato Root Eelworm

During the last decade, new control possibilities for the potato root eelworm have come to the fore, namely resistant potato varieties and soil disinfection. These have led to an integrated approach to the control of the potato root eelworm in the Netherlands. For this purpose, a number of potato rotations, aiming at the prevention or elimination of non-detectable populations of the potato root eelworm, are prescribed for non-infested fields. These regulations allow the farmer to grow potatoes more frequently on non-infested soils if he uses control measures (i.e. resistant potato varieties, soil disinfection). More stringent restrictions are in force for infested fields on which the growing of susceptible crops and propagation material is, of course, prohibited.