News on Potato Defects and Diseases

The National Potato Council and 13 state potato organizations in the United States have urged the USDA to reinstate a ban on fresh potato imports from Prince Edward Island following a new Potato Wart detection.

FAO announced International Day of Potato 2026 theme 'Where potatoes grow, livelihoods flourish', highlighting role of potatoes in food security and farmer livelihoods. Focus on smallholders, resilient value chains, climate and pest challenges.

Royal HZPC Group continues growing its global seed potato volume above 1.1 million tonnes during the 2025/2026 financial year, despite global potato market pressure, lower prices, weaker demand and declining margins.

HyFarm partners with Sri BioAesthetics Pvt. Ltd. to deploy microbiome-driven soil immunity, reducing diseases and improving potato yield, seed quality, and processing consistency via SoilFirst™ trials in Gujarat and Punjab.

To combat the decline in the number of growers and in domestic production, the government is authorizing trials with GMO varieties, a disruptive move by European standards.

KTH researchers developed peptide CS5 targeting Phytophthora infestans, cause of potato late blight. It blocks a key enzyme, stopping infection without harming crops and offering a sustainable alternative to chemical sprays as climate change spreads.

Researchers at Michigan State University have developed five new potato varieties designed to strengthen the United States potato chip supply through improved disease resistance, storage performance and processing reliability.

A 16-year study by Michigan State University finds heat is the main driver of Colorado potato beetle populations, with precipitation and soil conditions also influencing outbreaks, aiding better pest forecasting and crop protection.

Wageningen University & Research starts new field trials with genetically modified potatoes. The potatoes tested in these field trials have been genetically modified by adding or switching off multiple genes.

For over three decades, starting in the early 1990’s, the World Potato Congress Inc. has made its way around the globe, providing an avenue for networking and educational opportunities focused on all thing’s potato.

New trials in Europe will evaluate genetically modified potatoes with enhanced resistance to diseases such as late blight, aiming to reduce pesticide use and provide evidence for the regulatory debate on new genomic techniques.

El proyecto Papa Nativa enfrenta el impacto del clima y el aumento de plagas en Huánuco, impulsando medidas fitosanitarias, mejoras en la calidad de semilla y estrategias comerciales para sostener la producción y acceder a nuevos mercados.

Van der Linde family grows its seed potato business in Krummhörn through innovation, quality, and strong partnership with HZPC, expanding from 45 to 196 hectares while investing in modern storage, sorting, and sustainable farming technologies.

AUSVEG is progressing compensation for mainland potato growers affected by Potato mop-top virus after infected Tasmanian seed lines triggered biosecurity orders preventing planting, with first payments expected this week.

El agronegocio brasileño inicia marzo de 2026 con incertidumbre climática y presiones económicas. Lluvias intensas afectan cultivos como la papa, mientras el sector apuesta por eficiencia e innovación.

Mycoverse, an agri-tech spin-out from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) developing biological crop protection using fungi, has raised EUR 2.4 million (USD 2.8 million) in pre-seed equity funding.

Researchers at Lethbridge Polytechnic, Alberta, Canada, potatoes are testing if short-wave infrared hyperspectral imaging can be used to assess Total GlycoAlkaloid (TGA) levels in potatoes.

The Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board conducted a February 3-6, 2026 harvest trial to assess improved potato varieties Ndamira and Victoria for higher yields and stronger resistance to late blight across multiple site.