This review aims at providing a panorama of the main sustainable pest and disease
management strategies for potato cultivation in Europe, with a particular focus on
Integrated Plant Health Management (IPHM) approaches and their current challenges.
Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is one of the most important food crops
globally, but is exposed to numerous pests and diseases that significantly threaten
tuber production. In light of increasing environmental concerns and the rise of pesticide-
resistant pathogens and pests, alternative methods such as biological control,
resistant cultivars and innovative techniques, such as attract-and-kill strategies, are
gaining relevance. The European Union’s Directive 2009/128/EC has mandated
the adoption of IPHM for annual crops, accelerating research and implementation
efforts in this area. Despite recent progress in this area, several limitations affect the
current body of evidence. The effectiveness of biological control agents often varies
between laboratory and field trials, limiting their general on farm use. In addition,
some pest monitoring methods—such as those for the soil-dwelling wireworms—
lack validated thresholds, resulting in less reliable decision-making. Finally, the
scarcity of long-term and large-scale studies reduces the overall precision and
dependability of the current IPHM strategies. Further research is needed to improve
predictive models, develop resistant potato varieties and enhance the consistency of
biocontrol methods. The widespread adoption of effective, sustainable pest-management
strategies will be crucial to safeguarding potato production, reducing the environmental
impact of agriculture and ensuring food security.