PAPAS, PCN Action Scotland & NEM-EMERGE to Host Potato Nematode Stakeholder Workshop at ESN Symposium
Expanding its international collaboration in potato nematode research and management, the PAPAS team joins PCN Action Scotland and NEM-EMERGE to host a Potato Nematode Stakeholder Workshop at the European Society of Nematologists 36th Symposium in Egmond aan Zee, Netherlands.
ESN Symposium: June 1-5, 2026
The ESN Symposium brings together research institutions, plant breeders, diagnostic service providers, policymakers, and potato growers to discuss nematode challenges across the supply chain — and to identify where international collaboration can accelerate solutions. The scientific scope of the conference includes:
- Nematode taxonomy, evolution and biology in ecological contexts
- Smart technologies and modeling in nematology
- Control and management of parasitic nematodes and herbivorous insects
- Policy-making, education and capacity building
- Mechanistic understanding of plant-nematode interactions
For more information about the symposium, visit esn2026.nl.
Potato Nematode Stakeholder Workshop: June 2, 2026
Plant-parasitic nematodes threaten the potato production globally. While regulations and management methods vary by region, the challenges facing growers are similar: limited resistant varieties, evolving nematode populations, reducing chemical options, and the need for more precise, sustainable management strategies.
From nematode resistance breeding programs to advanced nematode molecular diagnostics, international collaboration in nematology research has direct practical benefits for U.S. potato production, offering data on resistance durability and management integration.
In the Potato Nematode Stakeholder Workshop, PAPAS, PCN Action Scotland and NEM-EMERGE will foster collaboration and explore collective solutions for global potato nematode challenges. If you are attending ESN 2026, we invite you to join the Potato Nematode Stakeholder Workshop on June 2.
About PCN Action Scotland
A large working group with a range of potato industry, government, and academic backgrounds was set up to identify a strategy and key recommendations for dealing with the potato cyst nematode (PCN) crisis. As a result of the work done by this group, the Scottish Government awarded funding for a fully integrated 5-year project of scientific research and knowledge exchange with an aim to deliver a sustainable potato and bulb industry for Scotland through the management of PCN. The project is led by the Plant Health Centre, and involves other organisations including the James Hutton Institute, SRUC, SoilEssentials, Scottish Agronomy and SASA who are all working together to deliver eight core work packages.
About NEM-EMERGE
NEM-EMERGE is a EU-funded project devoted to inclusive, sustainable solutions to counter two types of soil-borne plant-parasitic nematodes: root-knot nematodes (RKN) and potato cyst nematodes (PCN). Indeed, RKN and PCN rank 1 and 2 in the Top 10 of high-impact plant-parasitic nematodes. A lack of knowledge of the ecological and genetic aspects of plant-nematode interactions underlies the current absence of economically durable methods for RKN and PCN control in both conventional and organic farming systems. The NEM-EMERGE consortium as a whole consists of 19 beneficiaries, including many different world-class specialists within the fields of nematology, plant breeding, genomics, climate modelling, diagnostics, molecular biology, biotechnology, agronomy, organic agriculture, sociology, and science communication. All expertise and skills from different disciplines that are on board.
About European Society of Nematologists
European Society of Nematologists (ESN) is an international organization formed to advance the science of nematology in both its fundamental and economic aspects. The Society was formed in 1956. The objectives of the Society are: The advancement of the science of nematology; To foster collaboration between nematologists particularly through the Society newsletter and through Symposia and other meetings; To represent the views of nematologists to other bodies, organisations and governments. The affairs of the ESN are managed on behalf of the members by the ESN Governing Board.
About PAPAS
PAPAS is a multistate transdisciplinary team of nematologists, plant pathologists, plant breeders, economists, computer scientists, and extension personnel from major potato producing states in the U.S. dedicated to solving the industry-wide challenges in managing potato nematodes. With feedback and support from potato industry leaders, PAPAS received a $6.8 million grant through the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Specialty Crop Research Initiative for its project: Systems Approach to Controlling Nematodes in US Potato Production.
