Research Objective 4

Objective 4 will focus on the agronomy and economics of producing the potato crop from true seed rather than seed tubers. Since a single potato plant can produce thousands of true seeds, significant opportunities may be available for rapid multiplication of new potato varieties.

Objective 4 has two parts: 1) identifying efficient ways to produce tubers from true seed and 2) assessing potential costs, benefits, and structural changes to potato businesses as a result of the adoption of true seed. The International Potato Center (CIP) and researchers in China carried out extensive work on how to use tetraploid true potato seed in the late 20th century. The seeds were not hybrid seed produced from crossing two inbred parents. As a result, the plants were not uniform and the approach was not widely-adopted. However, these prior research efforts provide us with a starting point for optimizing true seed production and utilization.