“So, the humble tattie has already had a major impact on world history, and together with the fascinating science underlying how we use them, makes me wonder why they are considered so humble,” writes Professor Lesley Torrance, Director of Science at The James Hutton Institute in this article published by The Herald.
She goes on to say, “Scotland has always been good for growing potatoes and at The James Hutton Institute, right in the heart of Scotland’s prime potato country, in Invergowrie just west of Dundee, we are undoubtedly the national experts leading research into what can be done to improve the supply, quality and resilience of this beloved national crop.
“Researchers, growers and breeding companies must adopt the new breeding technologies to dramatically improve the production of new varieties and sustainable practices which can withstand the changes in climate. To this end, the James Hutton Institute is proposing the urgent creation of a National Potato Innovation Centre (NPIC) that brings all UK science and industry together to help the sector.
“Detailed plans and goals for the NPIC are already in place – “oven-ready”, as the politicians might say…”
Source: The Herald. Read the full article here
Photo: The harvesting of tubers from potatoes from the Commonwealth Potato Collection curated by the James Hutton Institute. Credit Csaba Hornyik via The Herald
