Scientists in Kenya may be on the verge of developing a strain of potato that could help fight food insecurity.
According to The Standard, researchers at the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization have used genetic modification to create potatoes that are resistant to late blight, a disease that can attack entire crop fields if left untreated.
Late blight is caused by the fungus-like pathogen Phytophthora infestans, and it attacks the leaves, stems, and potato tubers, making the potato inedible, and it can spread incredibly fast.
As researcher Dr. Moses Nyongesa noted, without control measures in place, late blight can lead to a 30% yield loss.
According to Action Against Hunger, in 2024, 2.3 billion people – 28% of the world population – faced food insecurity.
The global food supply already faces constant threats due to extreme weather events, such as floods and droughts, brought on by the warming of the planet. Developing staple foods like potatoes that are resistant to disease will help to reduce loss, combat food insecurity, and bolster the global food supply.
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To fend off late blight, farmers can spray their fields with fungicides as a preventative measure, but that can be expensive and can contaminate the soil and nearby waterways, as well as pose health risks for humans.
The solution is a strain of potatoes resistant to late blight without the need for toxic chemicals. To achieve this, the researchers harvested genes from wild potatoes that are resistant to late blight and introduced those genes into varieties grown in Kenya.
“We now have the biotechnology potato variety that is under development at quite advanced stages now,” Nyongesa said. “The farmers will have no need to spray this potato variety.”
The modified potatoes have been tested over two growing seasons in three separate locations and have proven to be resistant to late blight. Testing also showed that the modification did not change the nutritional composition of the potatoes.
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The next phase of testing for these genetically modified potatoes will include expanded trials in more locations and will eventually include public participation.
If the potatoes hold up throughout the trials, it will be up to the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service to grant approval for widespread release.
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