§ 67. Mr. Buchanan-Smithasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what research is being conducted into skin spot and gangrene of potatoes, and, in particular, its relationship to mechanical damage; and what plans he has to continue or extend this research.
§ Mr. RossResearch on skin spot is currently in progress at Rothamsted Experimental Station, the Edinburgh226W School of Agriculture and my Department's Scientific Services Station. Research on gangrene has been carried out for a number of years at the North of Scotland College of Agriculture, particular attention now being paid to the relationship between harvest damage and the disease. The financial loss attributable to these and other diseases of the potato tuber is considerable and my Department, in consultation with the Agricultural Research Council, is currently reviewing the scale of the research effort devoted to them.