The Kingsman potato: Cygnet PB to expand commercial trials in the US for this high-yielding, climate-resilient variety

Launched in 2017, the potato variety Kingsman has developed quickly in popularity to become Scotland-based potato breeder Cygnet PB Ltd.’s first globally successful variety.

Grown for both fresh consumption and French fry production, the dual-purpose Kingsman potato variety thrives in diverse climates ranging from the Arctic Circle in Europe to the southern regions of Argentina.

This climate-resilient potato variety boasts a lower need for applied nitrogen and demonstrates strong heat and drought tolerance, ticking many of the sustainability boxes. Growers further benefit from its substantial marketable yield potential and absence of internal defects.

Following positive outcomes in multiple countries, Cygnet PB Ltd. decided to initiate minituber production in the United States at Sklarczyk Seed Farm in Michigan, introducing Kingsman to the U.S. market.

After two seasons of field production with CSS Farms, Kingsman exceeded seed crop yield expectations, prompting Cygnet PB Ltd to involve additional partners for commercial trials in 2023.

In 2022, researchers from the University of Idaho conducted trials in Parma, Idaho, reporting that Kingsman had "the highest tuber set and yield among all entries"