A PERPETUAL interdict has been granted in the Court of Session in

Edinburgh against John M. Steven and Son, Wester Meathie, Forfar, and

John Steven and Mrs Annie Steven, stopping them from producing for sale

seed potatoes of the Dutch-bred variety, Romano.

It also prevents John M. Steven and Son, and the partners in the

business, from producing or selling reproductive material of the variety

Romano within the meaning of the Plant Variety and Seeds Act 1964.

The reason for the action, taken against the firm by the breeder with

the assistance of the British Society of Plant Breeders Ltd, was the

sale of Romano ''small ware'' for planting as seed.

John M. Steven and Son had no authorisation from the variety's Dutch

breeder or his agent, Nickersons, to produce or sell Romano and was,

therefore, in contravention of the 1964 Act. The sale of unclassified or

uncertified seed is also prohibited under seeds regulations.

Mr John Steven is the representative of the Scottish National Farmers'

Union on the Scottish Seed Potato Development Council. Further court

proceedings are pending against other growers in Scotland and England.

These steps are being taken as part of the British Society of Plant

Breeders' policy of stamping out the practice of selling small ware for

planting, which they claim is detrimental to the future of the Scottish

seed potato industry as a whole.