This database provides data on GB-certified potato varieties that have undergone independent resistance testing for key pests and diseases. This testing is undertaken through National List testing. Until 2018, AHDB Potatoes funded an additional Independent Variety Trials (IVT) programme, which focussed on blemish diseases.
Since 2016, the database has also included varieties where information has been supplied by breeders/agents. There are 4 characters (dry matter, determinacy, cooking type, dormancy) viewed as important to industry but not covered by the independent testing. When data on the characters is available, it is clearly marked on the variety page as “Breeder-provided characters”.
Varieties that have not undergone any independent testing (NL or IVT) are clearly marked at the start of the individual variety page with a warning symbol and the statement “This variety has not undergone Independent Variety Trials testing procedures”. Variety pages for these are displayed using a grey colour scheme to further distinguish them from varieties that have been independently tested (green colour scheme).
More information on National List Testing
More information on the AHDB Independent Variety Trials (testing ended in 2018).
On this database, you can:
- Search for varieties by name or characteristic and view variety data individually or two-variety- comparisons.
- Compare data for varieties that have undergone IVT procedures and data for GB-certified varieties that have NOT undergone the IVT procedures.
- Obtain grower, breeder and breeders’ agent contact details to source seed and varieties.
- See lists of varieties, images, variety breeders, seed marketing agents and related industry organisations.
- Learn about the advantages of British seed potatoes, seed potato classification schemes (SPCS) and the Safe Haven scheme.
New features of the database
- View varieties outwith the IVT testing procedures (data supplied by breeder)
- View added character sets: dormancy, dry matter, determinacy and cooking type
- Simplified search facility
- Compare two varieties on one screen
- Download variety data into Excel
- Mobile device-compatible
(As mentioned above, non-IVT variety data has been supplied direct from the breeder or breeder’s agent and non-IVT varieties on this database will be clearly distinguishable from IVT varieties.)
Protecting our national seed crop 
New varieties added!
The final variety scores from the IVT programme have been added for the following varieties in 2019: Sunita, Malou, Angelique, Gravity, Vanilla, Alibaba, Antarctica, Jazzy, Rock and Lady Anna.
Black scurf data
Due to a high level of statistical variability in varietal differences between years in the Black Scurf test data, resulting in inconsistent resistance ratings for this pathogen; scores for Black Scurf have been removed from the site.
News
Assessments of the reaction of existing varieties scoring 5 or more for foliar late blight have been made using the new aggressive 13_A2 genotype of the late blight fungus. Significant changes from historic ratings were recorded and have been up-dated on the database for the following varieties: Accent, Banba, Barna, Cosmos, Druid, Dundrod, Galactica, Habibi, Harlequin, Harmony, Kerr's Pink, Kikko, Kondor, Lady Balfour, Markies, Morene, Nadine, Orla, Pentland Dell, Pentland Ivory, Premiere, Remarka, Robinta, Romano, Sante, Setanta, Slaney, Spunta, Sunset and Verity.
Sourcing British Seed Potatoes
The Breeder's Agent should be contacted by those interested in varieties subject to Plant Breeders Rights.
For varieties not subject to Plant Breeders Rights (i.e. freely available) the agent will normally be shown as GB Seed Industry. British seed producers of these varieties can be found by clicking on the the links to the Scottish or English Seed Potato Registers.
If available, these links appear as national flags on variety description pages.
If you are looking for recipes, nutrition and health information for potatoes, please visit:
National List and Independent Variety Trials
The results of the National List and Independent Variety Trials are on a 1-9 scale where 1 shows a variety is susceptible and 9 shows it is resistant to a disease or damage.
However, for most diseases, a very high resistance score should not be taken as indicating that a disease will be absent but that there is less risk of the disease developing on these varieties. In addition, pathogens may mutate and this may affect the resistance response of a variety in practice.