The National Forestry, Agriculture, and Livestock Research Institute (INIFAP) developed the Citlali potato, an improved variety that is more tolerant to diseases.
This variety, obtained from the production of clones, showed the greatest resistance to the late blight and purple top diseases of the potato, a tuber that in Mexico has a per capita consumption of 14.8 kilograms.
In addition, it meets commercialization standards, researchers said.
The Citlali variety is not completely immune to the purple tip of the potato, but it obtained better results than other commercial varieties, so it will continue to be studied by researchers, the Institute stated.
“The plant, which has small dark green leaflets, stems that have a slight reddish pigmentation, and sparse lilac flowers, develops in temperate climates and has a greater resistance to late blight and purple top diseases; the latter one is a diseases of great importance and complexity in Mexico,” they stated.
The experts said that the thin shoots and the internal spots in the tubercle were symptoms of the purple top disease, which decreases the products quality and aesthetics in the fresh market, and affects the producers’ economy.
Mexico produces around one 1,716,000 tons of potatoes per year and Sonora, Sinaloa, Veracruz, Nuevo Leon, and Puebla are the leading producing states, according to data from the Agricultural Food and Fisheries Information Service (SIAP).
During 2017, Sonora and Sinaloa’s potato production allowed them to achieve income for 4,685,000 pesos; while Veracruz and Nuevo Leon obtained more than one thousand million pesos each that year.
The organization, which is dependent of Sagarpa, stated that this tuber was part of the world’s food system and ranked fourth as the most productive crop in the world.
