NewsIndustryResearchers Petition UK Officials to Start Disease-Resistant Potato Trials

Researchers Petition UK Officials to Start Disease-Resistant Potato Trials

-

The Sainsbury Laboratory, in Norwich, has applied to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) for consent to release genetically modified potatoes for trials work.

According to a document submitted by the applicant and published on the Defra website, the potato plants have been genetically modified to improve different traits including resistance to Phytophthora infestans (the organism responsible for late blight), resistance to potato cyst nematodes (PCN) and improved tuber quality.

The application says that the plants are planned to be released at two locations. The first is Rothamsted Research, Brooms Barn, Hertfordshire, where the field trial is intended to start in June 2019 and continue until November 30, 2019. The second is a NIAB trial site in Cambridge. The experiments are intended to continue in 2020 and 2021, with plantings at the first and second locations from April 1 until November 30 in both years.

Source: FreshPlaza

Trending This Week

To Get Healthy Potato Plants, We Have to Feed the Soil

Soil is not inert. Given the proper conditions, it is a vibrant ecosystem – full of life. In nature, soil is kept healthy by the...

It Takes Both Faith and Science to Grow a Potato

0
A colleague and I were talking recently, and she mentioned how much hope and faith goes into potato farming. Faith can have different definitions,...

How to Spatially Arrange Spuds to Maximize Their Growth Potential

0
In our spring production webinar, Dr. Mark Pavek explained how much of a difference in-row spacing, between row spacing, and row direction can make...
Rows of planted potato hills

2023’s Huge Crop Influencing Planting Plans for 2024

0
Last fall’s record processing crop across the Pacific Northwest is shaping current stores, export opportunities, product movement and planting plans for the year ahead. Though...

The Unintended Limits of Organic Farming

0
I had a conversation some weeks ago that has really stuck with me. The conversation was with Joy Youwakim, an agroecology scientist at Biome...