Due to the fact that climate change affects agricultural production in Canada, scientists consider it appropriate to immediately begin to identify and / or develop new varieties of potatoes that can produce high yields at higher temperatures, writes a group of researchers from the Ministry of Agriculture of Canada (AAFC).
The potato comes from areas with a rather cold climate (Andes in South America), where it still grows in the wild and serves as material for creating varieties. But global warming is making adjustments.
Xu-Qing Li, one of the researchers at AAFC, noted that the summer is getting hotter and the weather is creating heat stress for Canadian potatoes.
He began to study modern potato varieties that are industrially cultivated in Canada to determine which ones are the most resistant to heat. He also hopes to identify the genes responsible for resistance to heat and to include them in future varieties either by genetic crosses or by directional mutation.
“Climate change threatens future potato production, but some varieties are more resistant to heat than others,” Lee explains. “If we are going to continue growing potatoes, we need to identify varieties that can tolerate heat stress.”
Lee cites the example of Statistics Canada, which shows a 2016% decline in potato yields in Ontario in 17,2 compared to the 2015 season.
A declining trend in crop yields for this important crop due to global warming could seriously hamper potato production in Canada, and also indicates potential problems for potato growing in other countries where the climate is similar to Canadian.
Since the development of new varieties takes a decade or more, with a projected temperature increase by the end of the century to two degrees, breeders need to start working on varieties that can tolerate heat immediately.