Drought-resistant potato genes identified in Prince Edward Island will contribute to food security

You say potato, and Bourlaye Fofana says potato clones.

“This is a global problem. We need to adapt our crops to a changing climate,” the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research scientist told Weather Network.

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He's been keeping a collection of germoplasts in an experimental field in Harrington, Prince Edward Island, for 10 years and has just discovered the types of genes in diploid potatoes that are drought tolerant.

Increasing genetic diversity between each potato variety is an effort to conserve biodiversity and make it more tolerant of diseases and environmental stresses such as drought.

“For example, Western Canada overproduced potatoes in 2020 compared to Prince Edward Island due to the drought we experienced here (while there was irrigation) . This was the first year that Western Canada surpassed Prince Edward Island in potato production due to a drought,” Fofana said.

A total of 384 diploid potato clones were evaluated for drought tolerance and plant maturity traits. Fofana discovered DNA genetic markers associated with plant growth and drought resistance characteristics.

Breeders could use clones to make future potato varieties more resilient to climate change.

Watch the video above for the full story of drought-tolerant potato research and development.

Thumbnail courtesy of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.