Two new spud varieties are coming soon to the Pacific Northwest. Echo Russet and Castle Russet — developed by the Tri-State Potato Breeding Program that includes Oregon, Washington and Idaho — are just about ready to be released commercially, according to Sagar Sathuvalli with Oregon State University. Sathuvalli, a potato breeder at OSU’s Hermiston Agricultural Research and Experiment Center, discussed the traits[Read More…]
Breeding
Researchers engineer heat tolerance in potato crops
Scientists at the James Hutton Institute and the University of St. Andrews have developed a technique to ‘engineer’ heat tolerance in potato crops, potentially providing potato breeders with a valuable tool in their quest to create varieties suited to the requirements of growers, industry and retailers. The potato crop is particularly vulnerable to increased temperature, which is considered to be the[Read More…]
UK: European agribusiness representatives visit Hutton Institute to establish potato links
James Hutton Limited, the James Hutton Institute’s commercial subsidiary, has welcomed two delegations of European visitors to the Institute’s Dundee site as part of efforts to share knowledge and ideas with a huge variety of interest groups across the globe. A group of 20 visitors from the German-Irish Chamber of Industry and Commerce visited the Institute as part of a market[Read More…]
Nek-aan-nekrace tussen veredelaars en Phytophthora
Terwijl veredelingsbedrijven aardappelrassen ontwikkelen die resistent zijn tegen Phytophthora infestans, ontwikkelt de ziekteverwekker nieuwe agressieve stammen die zich snel over Europa verspreiden. Dat blijkt uit onderzoek van EuroBlight. Fytopatholoog Francine Govers is niet verbaasd. ‘Phytophthora is zo dynamisch.’ Gaan de nieuwe varianten de aardappeloogst aantasten? “Dat zal in de komende maanden blijken. We weten niet of de belangrijkste aardappelrassen resistent zijn tegen[Read More…]
US: Omnibus bill increases potato breeding funds
The U.S. House of Representatives and Senate recently passed a $1 trillion omnibus spending bill that funds the government through the end of September. The conference report includes an increase in the NIFA Potato Breeding Research line item to $2.25 million. During the Potato D.C. Fly-In, National Potato Council (NPC) attendees advocated for $2.25 million to be included in the final[Read More…]
US: Genetically engineered potatoes approved for Maine
With little fanfare, the Maine Board of Pesticides Control unanimously approved earlier this month the registration of three new types of genetically engineered potatoes that have been developed by a major Idaho agribusiness company. The move means that the J.R. Simplot Co.’s Russet Burbank, Ranger Russet and Atlantic potatoes could be planted in Maine fields at any time. These potatoes were[Read More…]
Texas A&M to make designer potatoes to increase consumption
The Texas A&M AgriLife Research is making designer potatoes to increase potatoes consumption. “The average consumption in the U.S. is 113 pounds per year per person. But overall potato consumption in the U.S. has generally declined somewhat.” said Dr. Creighton Miller, a potato breeder with Texas A&M AgriLife Research. Miller said the objective of the Texas A&M potato breeding program is to develop[Read More…]
Italy: Is this the potato of the future?
Agrico’s PK060108 variety might be the perfect new potato selection for Romagna. This option was discussed on 29th May 2017 in San Mauro Pascoli (Forlì-Cesena) during a technician day held at azienda agricola Fratelli Tramonti, organised by Consorzio Agrario Adriatico. “The PK060108 selection from Agrico (Netherlands) had excellent performances. I believe we will hear its name again and again in the future,” explained[Read More…]
Simplot postpones commercial introduction of Innate GMO potatoes in Canada
Simplot Plant Sciences will not commercially launch its Innate GMO potatoes in Canada this year, despite regulatory approval and interest among potato farmers to grow these new potatoes, according to a report by CBC News. Doug Cole, director of marketing and communications, said Simplot is holding off allowing commercial growth of Innate potatoes in Canada until there’s a proven market for[Read More…]
US: Genetically engineered potatoes approved for Maine
With little fanfare, the Maine Board of Pesticides Control unanimously approved on Friday morning the registration of three new types of genetically engineered potatoes that have been developed by a major Idaho agribusiness company. The move means that the J.R. Simplot Co.’s Russet Burbank, Ranger Russet and Atlantic potatoes could be planted in Maine fields at any time. These potatoes were[Read More…]
Potatoes grown from Dutch seeds may save Africa from hunger
Potatoes grown from Dutch seeds yield two to four times bigger harvests for small-scale, poor farmers in East Africa than potatoes grown using local seed potatoes. These findings are the result of initial tests using experimental varieties grown from potato seeds by Wageningen-based agro-tech company Solynta in the Democratic Republic of Congo. As such, potatoes grown from seeds may prove to[Read More…]
Canada: Researchers release 15 new potato varieties
Reds, a wedge with an edge, and a super storer are among this year’s new potato selections from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Red-skinned varieties made up half of the total selections that Ag Canada potato breeders released during their annual ‘release open house’. This includes a multi-purpose variety that shows promise for processing as wedges and as a traditional table[Read More…]
Canada: Potato research, processing investment strong in Alberta
Potato research is firmly en-trenched at the Agriculture Canada Lethbridge Research Centre as production expands in the West. Yves Plante, associate director, said the centre plans to maintain its scientists and researchers and is seeking to fill another research position dedicated to potato health. “We are fully committed to maintaining the research activities at the centre here. It’s a huge investment, when[Read More…]
GVO-Kartoffeln wecken im ersten Jahr Hoffnung
Die gentechfreie Produktion gehört zu den Eckpfeilern von Schweizer Lebensmitteln. Die Forschung ist aber zugelassen und Agroscope ist hier unter anderem mit Kartoffeln aktiv. 2016 liefen am Standort Reckenholz erstmals im grösseren Rahmen Freilandversuche mit sogenannt cisgenen Kartoffeln, wie der zuständige Michael Winzeler anlässlich der VSKP-Mitgliederversammlung erläuterte. Das cisgene Kartoffel-Pflanzgut für die Versuche stammt von der holländischen Agraruniversität Wageningen. Cisgen[Read More…]
Breeder seeks healthy french fry
Overcooking french fries and potato chips produces a chemical called acrylamide that can be toxic and harmful to humans if eaten in large amounts. John Lu, an Agriculture Canada researcher who works at the Lethbridge Research Centre, is investigating acrylamide and how it can be reduced in tubers and potato products. The chemical isn’t found in raw or fresh potatoes but[Read More…]
New potato varieties for Spain and Portugal
Pepsur Marketing, a subsidiary of Pan European Potato Enterprise Limited, a company dedicated to the production and marketing of potatoes and seed potatoes, is introducing several new potato varieties to Spain and Portugal, where the company represents a.o. the potato companies IPM and Cygnet. The Potato varieties Tornado, Fandango, Gatsby, La Strada, and Sunset are especially for the producing areas[Read More…]
Northern Caribbean University to be key player in national potato-growing project
Northern Caribbean University (NCU), an institution operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Jamaica, recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the government of Jamaica for the implementation of the in-vitro propagation of Irish potato seed program. The MoU was signed between NCU, the Ministry of Industry Commerce Agriculture and Fisheries, the Jamaica Social Investment Fund, and the Scientific Research Council,[Read More…]
Canada: Une quinzaine de nouvelles variétés de pommes de terre à l’honneur à Fredericton au N.-B.
Elle sont rondes, allongées, rouges, blanches et parfois même violettes. Ces pommes de terre font partie des quinze nouvelles variétés que l’équipe du centre de recherche et de développement de Fredericton à Nouveau-Brunswick a présenté mercredi lors de sa journée portes ouvertes. Cette année la moitié des nouvelles pommes de terre proposées sont des variétés à peau rouge. Dans ce[Read More…]
Canada: Red-skinned potato varieties lead selections by breeders
Red-skinned potatoes are sure to be on the minds and menus of many after remarkable results shown by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s selections this year. Red-skinned varieties made up half of the total selections AAFC breeders released to industry during the annual Potato Selection Release Open House on Wednesday. For the first time, the program will unveil a multi-purpose red-skinned selection, showing[Read More…]
Oude wetgeving remt ontwikkeling aardappelteelt
Zolang aardappelveredelaars geen gebruik mogen maken van technieken als cisgenese of Crispr Cas, dreigt de Europese aardappelsector internationaal de boot te missen, zegt Backx. Hij sprak gisteren op de themadag Aardappelen van Landbouwbeurs Noord- en Centraal Nederland (LNCN) in Dronten over de noodzaak van nieuwe veredelingstechnieken. ‘De huidige wetgeving in Nederland en Europa ten aanzien van genetische modificatie (gmo) sluit niet[Read More…]
HZPC overweegt gen-onderzoek buiten de EU te doen
HZPC overweegt het onderzoek met nieuwe veredelingstechnieken te verplaatsen naar buiten de EU. Volgens het pootgoedhandelshuis lopen de EU-regels achter bij de technische ontwikkelingen. In het buitenland kan HZPC veel sneller genetische vooruitgang boeken in de veredeling dan in de EU, omdat daar nieuwe gen-technieken zoals cisgenese en Crispr-Cas wel zijn toegestaan. Volgens HZPC-directeur Gerard Backx overweegt het bedrijf alleen verplaatsing[Read More…]
Canada: In search of better chippers, wedgers and mashers
There were a lot of new potato varieties to choose from at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Potato Selection Release Open House. This was the second year the Ontario release has been held in Guelph. Every year, federally sponsored plant scientists come up new strains of tatters. A few weeks in advance of the planting season, those varieties and the scientific evidence related to[Read More…]
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: Our potato varieties have something for everyone
With names like AAC Poppy, AAC Glossy, and AAC Red Viola – today’s marketplace for spuds is no longer as simple as “you say PO-TAY-TOE, I say PO-TAH-TOE.” These potatoes are among the more than 30 varieties developed by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) that are currently under license by the Canadian industry for sale to domestic and international markets.[Read More…]
University of Idaho to grow nuclear potato seed program
University of Idaho has hired a new director for its nuclear seed potato program and plans to build additional facilities to help her expand production. The planned investments; which include construction of a new greenhouse and laboratory; would move the university toward its long-term goal of becoming a national repository for potato germplasm. Jenny Durrin filled the director position vacated[Read More…]
Tanzania: Are these the climate-smart potatoes?
Situated in the Northeast of the country, the district of Lushoto is part of the so called highlands of Tanzania where potatoes are traditionally grown. Due to heat and lack of resilient potato varieties, farmers would lose all the crop especially when they grow the local variety called Kidinya which is extremely susceptible to Late Blight disease. To address these[Read More…]
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