News on Research

A research team, including Michigan State University Assistant Professor Olivia Smith, gained international recognition in 2024 for a study showing that agricultural diversification benefits both growers and the environment worldwide.

Europatat Congress 2025 in Lille brought together Europe’s potato leaders to tackle challenges like climate change, shifting consumption, and global trade. With optimism, speakers stressed innovation, sustainability, and adapting to consumer demands.

Groupe Florimond Desprez (GFD) acquired DLF’s 49% stake in Danespo A/S, becoming majority owner. The move strengthens GFD’s seed potato business, aligning Danespo and Germicopa under shared leadership and future investments.

The International Potato Center (CIP) will establish its South Asia Regional Centre (CSARC) in Singna, Agra. The Union Cabinet, led by PM Modi, approved the move based on a proposal from the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.

The DKHV launched its 'Potato Specialist' training in Lüneburg Heath. Over 3 days, 46 participants explored potato botany, cultivation, plant protection, and quality standards through expert lectures and hands-on sessions. Next module is in autumn.

The International Potato Center (CIP) has announced that Dr. Hugo Campos, Deputy Director General for Science and Innovation of CIP, has been selected as a 2025 Top Agri-Food Pioneer (TAP) by the World Food Prize Foundation.

De la mano de instituciones gubernamentales el país logra importantes avances en la certificación de su proceso de producción de semilla. Se espera que miles de familias puedan abastecerse pronto del nuevo material genético.

Open Farm Sunday 2025 saw a 20% rise in host farms, welcoming 200,000 visitors. The event strengthened public connections to farming, highlighted sustainability, and inspired youth interest in agriculture. Next year’s event is on 7th June 2026.

Experts from Harper Adams University have co-authored a comprehensive new guide to managing potato cyst nematodes (PCN), updating previous advice and combining biology, control strategies, and sampling methods into one essential resource.

The 2025 Fight Against Blight campaign begins with new tools to track late blight in UK potatoes, warning of evolving fungicide resistance and urging growers to stay vigilant.

Potatoes in Practice, the UK’s biggest field potato event, is on 7 August at Balruddery Farm. Hosted by James Hutton Institute, it brings growers, researchers, and industry leaders together to share innovations and advance the potato sector.

UPL Corp and CERSA at NC State University hosted the Global Mancozeb Summit at Rothamsted Research, UK, gathering global experts to discuss mancozeb’s vital role in crop protection as the EU prepares to review its regulatory status.

Cavendish Farms is launching a sustainability project on Prince Edward Island to help potato growers adopt eco-friendly practices, focusing on water use, pest control, and soil health. A farm advisory group will guide research and share results with local farmers.

Chad Hutchinson of TriCal Group joins the World Potato Congress Inc. Board as a Director. A global expert in potato research and soil health, he brings decades of experience supporting growers and advancing crop production worldwide.

Dr. Neeraj Sharma has been appointed as CIP's Country Manager for India, effective June 9, 2025. A veteran in potato R&D, he will lead strategy, partnerships, and operations to boost sustainable agriculture and food security in India.

At PotatoEurope 2025, fifteen top companies will showcase trials on potato cultivation, with 309 exhibitors and 15,000 visitors expected. The event highlights innovation, demos, and global networking across the potato value chain.

Scientists, led by Dr Rob Hancock, Deputy Director of the Hutton’s Advanced Plant Growth Centre, have been working as part of a European consortium to develop tools for the development of multi-stress tolerant potatoes

Kobe University found that potatoes secrete a molecule (SEC) that microbes convert into compounds triggering potato parasite hatching. This three-way interaction could help develop 'suicide hatching' methods to control crop-damaging nematodes.