Solynta develops a blight resistant potato variety (non-GMO)

The Dutch company Solynta has developed a potato variety that is resistant to late blight (Phytophthora Infestans). As a result, it could greatly reduce the use of pesticides in agriculture, the Financieele Dagblad (FD) reported on Monday.

The company is said to unveil its new blight-resistant potato later this week, according to various reports.
 

The potato disease is reported to cause around €10bn in damage to potato stocks worldwide every year, despite the intensive use of pesticides.

The cost to the almost 9,000 potato growers in the Netherlands are estimated at €150m in relation to a total turnover of €750m, the FD said, quoting figures from Wageningen University.

Wageningen professor Richard Visser told the FD he expects Solynta will need a further four or five years before farmers will be able to grow the new potatoes.

Most blight-resistant potato varieties currently available or being introduced (e.g. Simplot's Innate Generation 2) have been developed using genetic modification and may therefore not be suitable for all markets.

Given the focus of the company Solynta (F1 hybridization) this will not be a GM potato variety. The variety is furthermore expected to have multiple Phytophthora resistancies, something that is considered extremely important given the high genetic adaptability of Phytophthora infestans