New Disease-Resistant Varieties Yield Double the Average in No-Spray Trials
Solynta’s innovative hybrid potato varieties have shown remarkable results in a recent field trial conducted in Limuru, Kenya. These trials have demonstrated that farmers, especially those with limited access to fungicides, can achieve substantial yields with reduced chemical input. The varieties, SOLHY016 and SOLHY017, equipped with double-stack resistances to Late Blight, produced yields more than double the Kenyan average of 10 metric tons per hectare under no-spray conditions.
The trial, conducted in the spring of 2024, compared three hybrid potato varieties to the popular Kenyan variety, Shangi. Within three weeks of planting, Late Blight had decimated the non-sprayed Shangi plants. However, Solynta’s hybrid varieties, developed from true potato seeds, proved resilient. The results were striking: after 100 days, SOLHY016 yielded nearly four times more than Shangi, producing an impressive 38.9 metric tons per hectare, while SOLHY017 followed closely at 38.6 metric tons.
This breakthrough is significant for Kenyan smallholder farmers, who have long faced challenges in accessing quality seed tubers and dealing with Late Blight disease, a major contributor to low potato yields. With Solynta’s hybrid potatoes, farmers can now produce healthier, disease-resistant crops, boosting food security while reducing reliance on expensive fungicides.
“The results this season speak for themselves—smallholder farmers can now achieve more with less,” said Gerald Mutua, Director at CropCare Technologies. “Solynta’s hybrid potatoes offer an opportunity for farmers to increase yields, reduce input costs, and improve food security.”
Even under sprayed conditions, Solynta’s varieties outperformed the standard yield, proving their adaptability across various farming environments. As Charles Miller, Director of Strategic Alliances at Solynta, highlighted, “Our mission is to support farmers in expanding their sustainable agriculture practices while enhancing global food security.”
As these hybrid potato varieties become more widely available, Solynta is committed to continuing its work in Africa, offering farmers resilient, high-quality planting materials that address the dual challenges of disease pressure and low yields. This development marks a critical step toward strengthening the agricultural sector in Kenya and beyond.
