Scientists at the University of Maine (USA) have devoted more than ten years to researching ways to improve the quality of the potato crop. Over the past year, the main goal of the university's breeding program is to obtain varieties of potatoes that are resistant to climate change.
Gregory Porter, professor of ecology and crop management at the University of Maine (USA), believes that higher temperatures can not only prolong the growing season of potatoes, but also cause diseases and problems with the quality of the crop.
Porter is the Lead Specialist for the Potato Breeding Program. As part of the program, the scientist is working on a variety of projects, from improving marketing opportunities for growers to creating potatoes that are more resistant to the Y virus.
The University of Maine has achieved good yields this year, thanks in large part to the success of the Caribou variety, also obtained through its breeding program. But Porter believes that even Caribou is not as resistant to heat as necessary to withstand the effects of climate change.
Another perceived problem of the future is prolonged rains. It is known that waterlogging is difficult for potatoes for a long time.
The Colorado potato beetle and aphids that spread potato diseases will actively reproduce under the new conditions, according to Jim Dill, a plant protection specialist at the University of Maine.
Selecting plants that have, for example, more pubescent leaves that impede the movement of insects, will help reduce the need for pesticides in the future.
Domestic breeders are also actively working in this direction.