SURVEYS OF APHIDS AND POTATO VIRUS Y IN POTATO FIELDS IN WALLONIA, BELGIUM: A FOUR YEAR OVERVIEW

Populations of Potato virus Y (PVY) and aphids were characterized in potato seed and stock production fields in southern Belgium (Wallonia) from 2009 to 2012. More than 40 aphid species were identified using yellow pan traps. Four thousands potato leaf samples collected in 87 plots from 29 fields were analysed for the presence and typing of PVY strains by RT-PCR. PVY was detected in 26%, 20% and 60% of the seed plots tested from 2009 to 2011, respectively. A higher prevalence of PVY was observed in plots of stock potatoes (60% in 2010 and 67% in 2011). The N/NTN strain of PVY was predominant, representing 70-99% of the strains