Novel Drought-resistant Potato Variety for North American Markets

Scientists working for the federal government in Atlantic Canada are attempting to create a new variety of potatoes that is more suited to the growing environments caused by climate change.
Research scientist Bourlaye Fofana of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is in charge of a team in Charlottetown that has studied wild potato types indigenous to the Andes of South America and that may aid in the creation of a more drought-resistant potato for North American markets, The Canadian Press wrote recently.
According to the Agriculture Department, there are more than 5,000 potato varieties in the world. Because of this large number, many of these types’ genetic differences have lessened, making certain potatoes less resistant to disease and climate change.
The majority of commercial potato types are tetraploid, meaning that two copies of each chromosome are inherited from each plant parent, making four copies of each chromosome in their DNA. Fofana has been experimenting with diploid wild potato types, which are endemic to Peru and have two copies of each chromosome. He said that the wild potato variety is simpler to work within the laboratory due to the chromosomal difference.
According to Fofana, wild potatoes have the same appearance but are smaller than conventional commercial kinds.
“I have been working on diploids since 2014 and we are getting clones that are viable in terms of yield, tuber size, and quality. We know, for example, the starch content is quite good and the processing quality is quite good,” Fofana said, cited by the aforementioned source.
Fofana and colleagues have assessed the drought resistance and plant maturity of 384 diploid potato clones in collaboration with researchers in Kentville, New South Wales, and Chile. Nine of those were found to be early to moderately late maturing and drought resistant, whereas 127 were found to be late maturing.
“Because in our collection we have diploid (potatoes) that are early maturing and this means you can plant it and it can give you an expected yield as early as possible. We also have some clones that can grow over a longer period,” he declared.
Fofana and his team’s research is regarded as a significant initial step in scientific progress. Approximately 50 of the most promising clones are being transferred to the department’s breeding program in Fredericton for additional research.
At the Fredericton facility, potato clones will be assessed for size and shape, as well as yield potential and cooking and processing characteristics. They could then be released as potato varieties, or their seeds, plants, or plant parts could be utilized to breed potatoes.