Seed potatoes are usually certified virus free often grown in Scotland where it is colder and the vectors (usually aphids) which transfer the virus are not as active in cold places. You can can use ordinary potatoes if you want but if you're growing a lot of potatoes then seed potatoes are better.
I looked this lot up, I'm not that nerdy that I'm an expert on potato viruses
- Potato leafroll virus (PLRV) causes an important disease of potatoes affecting the quantitv and quality of production and may cause a crop to be ineligible for certification.
- Potato virus Y (PVY) is one of the most important viruses infecting potatoes. It is readily spread by aphids in a nonpersistent manner as well as mechanically by human activity and may result in severely depressed yields. PVY is tuberborne and can interact with other viruses such as PVX and PVA to result in heavier losses.
- Potato Virus X (PVX) is one of the most widely distributed viruses of potatoes because no symptoms develop in some varieties (latent mosaic), the full extent of damage with PVX is not recognized
- Potato Virus A (PVA), which causes mild mosaic (leaf mottling in a mosaic like pattern).
- Potato viruses S and M (PVS and PVM) occur in New York, but their importance in yield loss is uncertain.
- Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMY) occurs worldwide in potato, but is considered to be of little economic importance.
- Potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTV) can cause a destructive disease of potato and receives particular attention for certified seed production.
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