News on Research from Northern America

McCain Foods Limited has acquired a significant minority share of New Brunswick-based data science company Fiddlehead Technology.

From January 5-7, more than 1,000 U.S. and international potato industry members joined the first-ever virtual Potato Expo. The annual event that kicks off the year for the industry, was brought online for the first time in response to the travel challenges imposed by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The World Potato Congress is extremely pleased to present its next webinar on Thursday, February 18, 2021, with Dr. Peter VanderZaag, a potato farmer in Canada and due to COVID-19, now an armchair consultant involved with numerous potato projects in Asia and Africa.

El agricultor Peter Imle intenta reducir a la mitad su cantidad de cromosomas para abrir el camino a muchas nuevas variedades con características más útiles.

Native to the Rocky Mountains, the Colorado potato beetle has now spread to many parts of the world and quickly overcoming almost every pesticide thrown in its way. A new UVM study sheds light on how these insects become resistant so fast.

In a recent study published in the MPMI journal, scientists from CSU revealed that metabolites from S. chacoense contribute to disease resistance by altering the pathogenic behavior of Pectobacterium brasiliense, rather than inhibiting its growth or killing it.

Two University of Maine researchers, Greg Porter and Han Tan, are part of a team of plant geneticists and breeders working to develop tools that will help Maine scientists and farmers become more efficient in bringing novel, improved potato varieties to market.

In humid climates, there is a high risk of topsoil loss from erosion on bare soil as well as nitrogen from fertilizers leaking or leaching from the soil into water sources, which can cause groundwater pollution.

PepsiCo, Inc. recently announced that Pietro Antonio Tataranni, MD has been named the company's global Chief Medical Officer. He will oversee the company's efforts to protect its global workforce, products, and communities in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Launching new research in support of Washington potato growers, Washington State University is partnering with industry leaders to study healthier, more sustainable, and productive soils.

In light of on-going developments with COVID-19 the organizers of the Potato Expo 2021 have decided to hold the event as a Virtual Experience, entirely online.

White potatoes are as effective as commercial sports products in exercise fueling, performance and recovery, according to research funded by the Alliance for Potato Research & Education.

Two research scientists on P.E.I. have spent their summer trying to grow a better potato, more resistant to scab and greening, which are both costly problems for potato growers.

Northern Farm Training Institute will test a range of potato varieties to see which do best in Northern Canada. This pilot project could approved earlier this month could improve food security.

Last January we could never have predicted how the year would play out. In light of the impacts of COVID-19, we knew that the Potato Expo had to change.

McDonald’s first global flagship Net Zero Energy-designed restaurant will serve as a learning hub to test sustainable solutions. Modern architecture is combined with technology to create enough renewable energy on-site to cover its energy needs on a net annual basis.

White Castle Just Hired a New Fry Guy—and It's a Robot. The next time Harold and Kumar go to a White Castle, there may be a robot making their French Fries.

Romain Cools, President, and CEO of the World Potato Congress Inc. (WPC) announces the appointment of three new Directors to its Board effective July 1, 2020: Dr. Nigel Crump, Australia, and Mrs. Elven Huang, China, both former WPC International Advisors, and Mr. Bret Nedrow, USA.