Scottish scientists identify gene to create more heat tolerant potatoes
Despite this, the crop is particularly vulnerable to increased temperature, which is considered to be the most important uncontrollable factor affecting growth and yield. This is important in the context of Global Food Security as well as being particularly relevant to the Scottish potato seed industry.
To meet this challenge, scientists at the James Hutton Institute and the University of St Andrews have developed a technique to ‘engineer’ heat tolerance in potato crops, potentially providing potato breeders with a valuable tool in their quest to create varieties suited to the requirements of growers, industry and retailers.
By comparing many different types of potato, scientists at the Institute have found a version of a gene involved in the heat stress response that is more active in potato types that can tolerate high temperature. The team went on to show that the switch that turns the protective gene on is different in the heat tolerant types.
“Our results identify a novel version of a gene that codes for a heat shock protein as a significant factor influencing yield stability under moderately elevated temperature.”
“The challenge now is to introduce this version of the gene to potato breeding programmes for the development of a more resilient crop.”
“Once realised this research will offer huge humanitarian and economic opportunities, and should ultimately ensure supply in a changing environment for subsistence farmers through to the large commercial potato processing operations.”
source: potatopro.com