Wageningen University and Research (WUR) is launching a new study of wild potatoes to try and find new pest and disease-free varieties, the university says in a release on May 4.
The research will focus on finding yield breeding material which can be used to develop disease-free potato varieties able to help with sustainable and circular potato production. It will help growers use less pesticides for disease and pest prevention on potatoes, the release notes.
The preliminary study has already yielded some usable varieties. These resistant potato varieties will be further investigated by WUR and will be used by breeding companies affiliated with the Holland Innovative Potato (HIP) to develop new breeds.
The work is being funded by HIP and the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, the release says.
