Basic topics of potato protection mainly against colorado beetle, late blight and nematodes are presented. Protective measures against colorado beetle are used for the majority of potato crops, however only 30% is protected against late blight. The reasons for the low rate of protection against late blight are small size of potato plantations and trouble with correct accomplishment of the protective procedure. The single method of protection against nematodes used in practice is cultivation of resistant cultivars. The number and popularity of these cultivars has visibly increased.
In 2005–2008 laboratories of the State Plant Heath and Seed Inspection Service detected nematode cysts belonging to the species Globodera rostochiensis (100% positive samples) in 980 officially collected soil samples. In the period pf September 2008 – May 2009 nematode cysts detected in 100 soil samples (60.2% positive samples) were subjected to identification by the designated laboratories (Central Laboratory in Toruń and Voivodeship Laboratories in Bydgoszcz, Koszalin and Pruszcz Gdański). Multiplex-PCR method was used for nematode cysts identification. Cysts from all tested samples were identified as Globodera rostochiensis species. The studies are planned in the subsequent years.