Land-grant universities are collaborating to support the U.S. Potato Genebank in its endeavors to conduct potato research, support creation of new potato varieties, and conserve specimens to overcome future growing challenges like droughts, natural disasters and emerging pests and diseases.
With potatoes the most widely grown and consumed vegetable in the U.S., improving potato varieties has the potential to impact everything from agricultural productivity to jobs to consumer health.
“The Genebank is helping sustain one of the most universally affordable and nutritious crops for future generations,” says John Bamberg, project leader for the U.S. Potato Genebank. “In addition, the benefits to consumers are extensive. For example, new varieties of potatoes with higher levels of essential nutrients can promote good health of U.S. citizens.”
Developing new potato varieties also has a huge economic impact. The value of potato production in the U.S. was around $3.9 billion in 2015, with over $1.3 billion in exports, but those numbers could soar.
“Potatoes with a strong resistance to disease can prevent crop losses and boost profits,” says Bamberg. “Ultimately, this will increase our production and exports of the vegetable, as well as french fries, chips and frozen potato products.”
Since 1947, researchers, breeders and growers have relied on the U.S. Potato Genebank to collect and preserve potato specimens. In 2015, over 11,000 genetic samples from the Genebank were sent to 34 different U.S. states and 10 countries.
The land-grant universities cooperating with the U.S. Potato Genebank include:
- University of Arizona
- University of California
- Colorado State University
- University of Florida
- University of Idaho
- Michigan State University
- University of Minnesota
- University of Nevada
- North Carolina State University
- North Dakota State University
- Oregon State University
- Texas A&M University
- Virginia Tech
- Washington State University
- University of Wisconsin