GLOUCESTERSHIRE researchers are embarking on a major new project to prepare the UK farming sector for crop diseases currently causing chaos across mainland Europe.

The four-year, £3.72 million E-Prep II project, focuses on the threats posed by two species of bacteria that cause diseases in potatoes, sugar beet, carrots and grapes.

The bacteria are spread by tiny sap-feeding insects known as planthoppers. Researchers say one of the diseases the bacteria causes, syndrome basses richesses (SBR), is particularly damaging.

Currently sweeping rapidly across Europe, SBR has reportedly reached epidemic levels in potato and sugar beet crops in Germany, Switzerland and France, and recently spread to the Netherlands.

Researchers from the University of Gloucestershire warn that it is likely only a matter of time before the disease reaches the UK.

The E-Prep II project aims to help UK growers, food businesses and policymakers make the most of the time available before this happens.

Damian Maye, Professor of Agri-Food Studies who leads the University's contribution to E-Prep II, said: “This project comes at a crucial time for UK farming and the food industry. Across Europe, we're already seeing the serious economic and agricultural impacts that these emerging crop diseases can have.

“If we don't act early and put effective preparedness plans in place, future outbreaks could also drive-up food prices for consumers and pose growing risks to food security.

“While these diseases are not yet in the UK, we have a valuable opportunity to prepare now. By understanding how farmers assess risks and make decisions, we can develop practical strategies that limit the damage future outbreaks could cause.”

Researchers from the university’s Countryside and Community Research Institute (CCRI) will conduct in-depth interviews with farmers and crop experts to explore how they perceive the risks and management strategies.

They believe the project provides an opportunity to understand how farmers, businesses and policymakers can work together to prepare for emerging threats.

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