The Global Biotech Potato Partnership Nigerian team recently expanded confined field trials of late blight resistant potato from one to three locations. Trials in Mambilla and Kuru, along with an existing trial site in Bokus were all planted at the end of May and are expected to be harvested in late August and early September.
Bokus, Plateau State, is Nigeria’s main potato growing region. Kuru is located on the Jos Plateau in north-central Nigeria. Mambilla Plateau in Taraba State has an average elevation of about 1,600 meters making it the highest plateau in Nigeria. Together these three locations will provide important data on the performance of several late blight resistant potato varieties developed using genetic engineering.
The late blight resistant potatoes were developed with the insertion of three resistance genes found naturally in wild potato species. Although these species are unsuitable for cultivation, the resistance genes they posses can be inserted into popular cultivated potato varieties through genetic engineering techniques.
Project partners the International Potato Center (CIP) and Michigan State University (MSU) have developed the late blight resistant potatoes for use by smallholder farmers.
The project is led in Nigeria by the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) and CIP as part of the Feed the Future Global Biotech Potato Partnership with support from the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF).
The potatoes are undergoing the data collection stage for regulatory dossier submission for general release and hope to be available for farmer assessment in early 2026.
Source: Global Biotech Potato Partnership | Michigan State University (MSU). Original news release here
Image: Credit Global Biotech Potato Partnership | MSU
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