Biochemical Profiling Offers Breakthrough in Predicting Potato Plant Vigor
An EU-funded research initiative has identified a faster, more scalable way to evaluate the quality of seed potatoes, potentially transforming seed lot selection and boosting efficiency across the industry.
Published in Scientific Reports (Nature, April 15, 2025), the study was conducted under the “Flight to Vitality” (FtV) project, a collaboration between academic institutions and leading seed potato producers. It explored whether the biochemical and imaging-derived properties of seed tubers could accurately predict the vigor of the plants they produce, without the need for labor-intensive germination tests.
Over three growing seasons (2019–2021), researchers collected seed tubers from multiple field trials and subjected them to four scalable laboratory analyses: X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Hyper-Spectral Imaging (HSI) and untargeted metabolomics using High-Resolution Mass Spectroscopy (HRMS). These techniques quantified the chemical and physical traits of the tubers.
The resulting data was correlated with canopy size, a key indicator of plant vigor, measured through drone imagery. Using these inputs, the team developed an interpretable linear model capable of ranking seed lot performance across different environments.
The results showed that certain biochemical markers were strong predictors of plant vigor for specific varieties, such as Festien, particularly when varietal performance remained consistent across sites. This approach offers a practical and rapid alternative to traditional germination assays, with the potential to streamline decision-making for seed producers.
By replacing slow, destructive testing with high-throughput, non-destructive profiling, the method could enable earlier interventions in seed selection, improving both yield predictability and operational efficiency for the global potato industry.
