News on Potato Varieties and Seed from United Kingdom

The days of a few big varieties dominating the potato market are over, with breeding programmes becoming more focused on delivering sustainable varieties for specific markets.

Growers could start seeing the benefits of the potato genome being sequenced within the next decade, with varieties bringing new traits such as PCN resistance or improved tuber shape.

Greenvale AP, the UK’s leading supplier of potatoes, is aiming to inject fresh interest into the produce sector with the launch of its first branded product. GreenVale Farm Fresh potatoes are being sold in 2kg eye-catching blue and green paper bags.

Scottish seed producers will soon be able to view seed certification data in real time from 2012, thanks to the latest online roll out of Scotland’s certification scheme. At the event, Dr John Kerr of Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA...

Fenmarc’s campaign for its exclusively grown variety Rudolph has been recognised by the Grower of the Year awards.

For the first time, leading potato supplier Greenvale AP is making a limited amount of its seed potato variety, the Vales Sovereign, available on the open market to Scottish potato farmers. 

The UK’s leading potato supplier Greenvale AP is working with Tesco to help British consumers serve up the best roast potatoes ever – and like all good things at Christmas they come in a box! The Mayan Gold potato box is available exclusively at Tes...

Two Potato companies - Taylor Food Group and QV Foods - have signed a five year deal with the James Hutton Institute's Mylnefield Research Service (MRS) subsidiary to continue a potato breeding programme that originally started in 2005. Taylor Food Gr...

The Potato Council has produced provisional estimates of planted area for the top ten varieties grown in Great Britain. These varieties account for approximately 55% of total GB plantings. Areas in hectares of top ten potato varieties in GB in 2011...

Dozens of campaigners against genetically modified food have staged a protest in Norwich city centre. Passers-by were offered chips made from non-genetically modified potatoes before the protest moved on to the John Innes Institute on the outskirts of...

Una nueva variedad de patata con pulpa de color púrpura oscuro salió a la venta hoy en los supermercados de la cadena británica Sainsbury's, informó la propia empresa en un comunicado. “La variedad ‘Majestad Púrpura’ está ideada para cambiar la percep...

A purple potato that growers say is healthier than the standard variety is going on sale in UK supermarkets.

A new potato processing variety has yielded well in trials in a difficult growing season.The new variety from Potato Innovations (PI), known only as YP0243, has yielded nearly 35t/ha of marketable ware in the trials.YP0243 is due to receive registratio...

Defra has given scientists at The Sainsbury Laboratory (TSL) the go ahead to conduct a three-year trial on genetically modified (GM) potatoes.   Scientists at TSL - part of the John Innes Centre - are testing potatoes that have been genetically modifie...

The government has given the green light to scientists to undertake a trial of genetically modified potatoes.Researchers will grow a trial crop of potatoes genetically modified to resist infection by potato cyst nematodes.DEFRA granted approval to scie...

Last month the EU Commission approved a second GM crop for cultivation in the EU. First plantings of Amflora, for seed production, are expected in Germany and the Czech Republic this spring. Other countries with a starch potato industry include Franc...

A SCOTTISH potato processor is hoping to inject a bit of colour into meal times with the launch of Purple Majesty, a purple spud that is made for mashing and could boost health. It will produce a beetroot-coloured mash!

Scientists in Norfolk hope to start field trials in May of a genetically modified potato resistant to blight if they can get government approval.The disease, which can wipe out whole harvests, costs the worldwide potato industry £3.5bn a year. Scientis...