Cranfield University

Cranfield University is actively involved in boosting the potato industry through research on crop quality and storage options. The university works with industry leaders such as PepsiCo and Solynta to create novel potato cultivars and storage technologies that aim to increase shelf life, reduce energy use, and minimize chemical usage.

This program addresses the issues that have arisen as a result of the removal of traditional sprout suppressants, with the goal of maintaining year-round potato supplies while lowering food waste. Cranfield also leads the PataFEST project, which aims to reduce postharvest losses by focusing on emerging potato pests and soil-borne pathogens. The project aims to identify disease-resistant potato varieties and execute sustainable preharvest treatments, thereby improving food security and reducing waste in the potato supply chain.

Cranfield's ongoing research attempts to better understand the mechanisms that control potato tuber endodormancy. This study aims to educate storage solutions that retain tuber quality while reducing sprouting-related losses by analyzing several potato cultivars and building predictive models for dormancy.