Lately, the European potato seeds companies are making significant efforts to mitigate climate change by developing new varieties more capable to tolerate drought, heat, cold, salt, and other abiotic stresses.
Experts say that one result of climate change is the pathogens appearing in areas where they have never been seen before. Pests and diseases that normally thrive in warmer areas are moving north in Europe and are threatening harvest in these new regions.
The potato growing and processing companies are not just doing their everyday R&D when it comes to their new varieties, but also in the fields of renewable energy, recycling, and much more.
One good example is Agrico B.V. in The Netherlands. The modern potato variety ‘Palace’ is a recent addition to the company’s product portfolio. It has excellent consumption properties and is therefore ideal for processing into French fries and flakes. ‘Palace’ is gaining a position in the market for fresh consumption in Southern European countries, but also in the Middle East and North Africa. This is because this variety, even under very dry and warm conditions, produces good yields in uniform batches and has nice skin and excellent flavor. What makes this variety a significant innovation, is its yield potential at low nitrogen input levels. Field trials show that ‘Palace’ with a low nitrogen application gives a considerably higher yield compared to currently used varieties.
This late-ripening variety is therefore very efficient in nitrogen uptake. Considering these advantages and its long shelf life, it can make an important contribution to sustainable food production for both the grower and the food industry and is a step in the right direction when it comes to nitrogen in the environment.
