Liquid Handling Workstation

Potato cyst nematode (PCN) is the name given to two species of nematode (Globodera pallida and Globodera rostochiensis) which are serious pests of potato crops world-wide. They feed on the roots of the plant and can cause significant loss of yield, including crop failure. The cysts can survive in the soil for many years (over 25 years under favourable conditions), multiplying rapidly when a new crop of host plants is planted. PCN have been subject to controls under European legislation since 1969. A revised EU PCN control Directive, came into force on July 1, 2010 and was implemented in Scotland by the Plant Health (Scotland) Amendment Order 2010. Under the directive seed can only be planted on land certified free from PCN. SASA carries out statutory testing of soil samples for the presence of PCN in Scotland. Currently SASA processes around 18,000 samples over a 9 month period every year since 2010. To facilitate this much of the work is automated and a key component of this is a liquid handling workstation which is used to both aid extraction of DNA from soil samples and set up the PCR (polymerase chain reaction) used to detect the nematodes. The use of the workstation ensures the robustness and reproducibility of the test and ensures the high throughput of samples required to meet the deadlines for reporting. It also enables saving on staff costs as a single person can process up to 500 samples per day.