The Horizon 2020 EU project, Accelerated Development of multiple-stress tolerAnt PoTato (ADAPT), which includes Europatat as a participant, aims to investigate potato tolerance to single and combined abiotic stresses and develop innovative strategies for potato improvement.
In March 2023, the project embarked on its final phase, conducting a new round of automated high-throughput phenotyping with two selected potato varieties, Desirée and Lady Rosetta. This work took place at the facilities of screening technology developer Photon Systems Instruments (PSI) in Brno, Czechia.
Selecting the best performing varieties: Field trials and glasshouse experiments
These two varieties were chosen based on previous field trials conducted in Spain, the Netherlands, and Austria during the past two years, as well as glasshouse trials carried out at universities in Erlangen, Utrecht, and Wageningen.
These studies assessed the potatoes’ tolerance to heat and drought stress, as well as waterlogging, both individually and in combination, to better understand the impact of climate change on potato cultivation.
Updating Stress Response Models
The data gathered will be integrated and utilized to update the stress response models constructed by the NIB team using prior data and recent findings from the ADAPT project. This information is compiled in the Stress Knowledge Map, a network analysis tool created by the NIB team as part of the project.
This network analysis aims to identify critical nodes for acclimation to multiple stresses, which will then be used for marker development in breeding more tolerant potato varieties in the future, ensuring the sustainability of potato cultivation amidst changing climate conditions.
Source: ADAPT. Full news story here and on the Europatat website
For additional news follow ADAPT on Twitter @eu_adapt
Photo: Dr. Andras Bittner in front of the Leica SP8 lightning measuring roGFP fluorescence
