News on Potato Varieties and Seed

Despite being a trained accountant and currently pursuing a Bachelor in Commerce, James Gachiri had a desire to become a successful potato farmer.

The Potato (Solanum tuberosum) plant is native to Upper Peru and northeastern Bolivia. There, under adverse conditions, the ancient Incas domesticated the plant in large terraces like the ones at Machu Pichu.

Potato is important to food security and a cash crop in Ethiopia with high potential to improve the livelihoods of small-scale farmers, who account for 83% of the total population and hold 95% of agricultural land.

Potato Farmers in the Arequipa region in Southwestern Peru are expected to increase the amount of potatoes grown. The local agricultural Ministry is assisting to adjust the amount produced to the demand

Dutch family-run potato company Schaap Holland B.V. acquired 5% of the Brussels-based Breeders Trust shares. Breeders Trust supports its shareholders in issues relating to compliance with and enforcement of plant breeder’s rights.

At this time, with the transition from potatoes for storage to new potatoes, the sector's prospects are optimal.

The last direct descendants in Europe of the potatoes brought directly from America by the conquistadors are grown in the Canaries. These potatoes have evocative names, like 'black lily' and stand out for their sweet flavor.

If there’s one thing potato plants don’t like, it’s heat. If the temperature is too high, potato plants form significantly lower numbers of tubers or sometimes none at all. Biochemists at FAU have now discovered the reason why.

The Europatat 2019 Congress, co-organised by the Norwegian Association of Fruit and Vegetable Wholesalers (NFGF) and Europatat, will take place in Oslo (Norway) from 12 to 14 June 2019. Under the slogan 'The timeless potato: A dynamic and innovative food'

Black Gold Farms started harvest of the 2019 fresh crop of Texas colored potatoes earlier this week. According to the company, the first run fields have indicated that the quality will be better than ever.

Since the humble precursor to modern potato first domesticated in Peru 10,000 years ago, the tuber has branched off into thousands of different varieties.

El Día Nacional de la Papa (que se celebra el 30 de mayo y se instauró a partir de 2005) ha servido para rescatar a nuestras papas nativas de la extinción, destacó la directora ejecutiva del CITE Papa, Celfia Obregón Ramírez.

Shortly after it became clear that falsified seed potatoes certificates were in circulation in the Netherlands and Belgium, Breeders Trust, in cooperation with NAK, identified the perpetrators and was able to enact a confession from the guilty parties.

NC State grew the North Carolina sweet potato industry into a global powerhouse. Now we're leading the effort to breed sweet potatoes that could provide economic opportunities and better nutrition for people in African countries. (Courtesy: Bill Krueger)

La demanda interna del mercado bordea los 5 millones de toneladas, pero sólo se produce 1.1 millón de t, el resto ingresa por la vía de contrabando e importación.

Papas de la nueva variedad Kawsay se vendieron en supermercados por primera vez este año. Kawsay tiene el potencial de mejorar los ingresos y la seguridad alimentaria de las comunidades, además es de alto rendimiento y gran resistencia al tizón tardío.

David Douches, a professor in the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences and director of the MSU Potato Breeding and Genetics Program, has been at the forefront of the potato’s transition as people get more adventurous with their eating habits.

Manitoba’s potato sector is gearing up to supply an expanding industry but seed supplies will be tight after a tough harvest last season. A number of producers are planning capital upgrades to keep up with the rise in demand.