Two new potato varieties to improve yield by 25%

By N.B. Homal Bengaluru, Feb 11 : Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) – Central Potato Research Institute, (CPRI) Ooty in Tamil Nadu has developed two disease resistant potatoes – Kufri Sahyadri and Kufri Karan – hybrid varieties which at present showing promising results in improving yield by 25 per cent to 30 per cent at laboratory level.
Both of these varieties are resistant to two most commonly affecting diseases like Potato Cyst (Nematode) and Late Blight disease of potato and its best suited for Karnataka climatic conditions.
ICAR-CPRI has set up its stall and displayed various potato varieties during the ongoing five-day National Horticulture Fest 2021 in Bengaluru.
ICAR-CPRI scientist, Priyank H. Mhatre told IANS the CPRI plans to introduce these varieties to farmers next year. “We are still examining stages that are adopted prior to release seeds in large markets,” he added.
He added that the potato cyst nematodes are the most wilful and difficult to manage pests of the potato crop.
“We have partially succeeded in controlling this cyst in new varieties. Though the new varieties are in still developing stage but they have shown some promising outcome, which itself is a good sign in controlling this cyst,” he said.