News on Research

World Potato Congress Inc. will host a June 18 webinar previewing the 13th World Potato Congress in Kenya. The session will highlight the Congress program, field days, technical tours and key industry initiatives ahead of the October event.

Mosgiel Taieri College students have created Winter Warrior, a potato-based windscreen spray that prevents frost. Developed for Young Enterprise, it is applied overnight to stop ice forming, aims eco-friendly, about $20 bottle. in testing phase.

Modern potatoes are bred from a relatively narrow genetic pool, while the diseases and environmental pressures affecting potato production continue to evolve.

UK potato farmers face rising costs, weak prices, labour shortages and climate shocks after years of disruption. Profitability is under pressure, risking sector decline. Innovation, policy support and collaboration are key to future resilience.

Wageningen and the Dutch government are moving forward with a field trial of NTG-edited potatoes to strengthen resistance to late blight and reduce pesticide use, in a context of regulatory change in the European Union.

Montevideo will host the 31st ALAP Congress 2027, in the context of the 50th anniversary of the Latin American Potato Association.

Royal HZPC Group CEO Hans Huistra joined Narendra Modi and top Dutch CEOs in The Hague to strengthen India–Netherlands cooperation, reinforcing HZPC’s growing strategic presence in India.

AIVA launches to help Canadian farmers adopt proven agtech through real-world testing on farms nationwide. Backed by FCC, EMILI and WHIN, the network connects farmers and innovators to validate tools that boost efficiency and productivity.

Potatoes USA has opened nominations for new board members for the 2027 term. The board is seeking nominees to fill 55 open seats, with all terms beginning in March 2027. The Potatoes USA board is currently seeking qualified nominees to succeed outgoing members in several states.

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.

PotatoEurope 2026 will return to Germany on September 9-10, 2026, at the Rittergut Gestorf estate near Hanover, showcasing the latest technology and innovations in potato cultivation and processing.

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.

The visit by a delegation from Qinghai University and Yunnan Agricultural University is focused on academic exchange, technological advancement, and the development of joint projects.

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.

The Potato Sustainability Alliance (PSA) is pleased to announce the addition of two new members in the first quarter of 2026, further strengthening its commitment to advancing sustainability across the potato value chain.

The International Potato Center (CIP) has appointed Dr. Sudhanshu Singh as the Regional Director for South Asia and Director of the CIP South Asia Regional Centre (CSARC).

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.