OPINION AND CONT EXT World climate change calls for drastic changes in potato cultivation FIGHT FAMINE WITH POTATO GROWING The Plant Sciences Group of Wageningen University, Cornell University (US) and the International Potato Center (CIP, Peru) are going to collaborate in combating Phytophthora. The parties involved signed an agreement in Emmeloord for this purpose. Center (CIP, Peru) are going to collaborate in combating Phytophthora. In practice, this means that the results of their work will be also be made available to developing countries. In her presentation, the CIP director indicated that the potato disease, Phytophthora infestans, which is responsible for enormous Pamela Anderson, managing director of the Centro International de la Papa (CIP), from the Peruvian capital of Lima, can also not avoid climate change in her talk at the PotatoEurope 2009 Congress. She demonstrates its consequences on the basis of the famine figures of the world. In 1990, 830 million people suffered from hunger and today, almost 20 years later, that number has risen to over 1 billion. Reasons for this rise include a drop in the production of the biggest crops in the most important production areas of the world. Also, the total world production of potatoes, which rose every single year until the year 2000, has remained virtually unchanged since then. That unchanging figure is also the result of problems concerning the combating of Phytophthora infestans. With a population that keeps growing, the increase in world hunger can easily be explained. The crop that can bring about a change for the better in this situation in the shortest time is the potato, according to Anderson. The potato is much more efficient with water than cereals are. As the deserts are advancing, mainly in third world countries, potato growing in arid regions can yield more nutrients than cereals can. As guardian of the world potato gene bank, she pleads desperately for breeders and scientists to do their absolute utmost to develop suitable varieties, particularly for cultivation in third world countries. Cultivation in these countries has another important advantage, says Anderson: people earn more money with it. As an example, she mentioned a project in Kenya where one of the Masai tribes is now growing potatoes. It earns them 2,000 US dollars a year, while cereals bring in hardly more than 200 US dollars a year. Furthermore, Anderson told the Audience that the Plant Sciences Group of Wageningen University, Cornell University (US) and the International Potato yield losses in potato growing worldwide and for bad harvests, is very difficult to control because it so quickly develops resistance to pesticides. In addition, it appears to be very difficult to make the potato resistant to the disease. Molecular technology as a weapon against Phytophthora infestans During the Congress, researcher Anton Haverkort of Wageningen University (WUR) told the Audience that he actually sees potential opportunities to control Phytophthora. He does this with the aid of the Durph project. In this project, new molecular technology makes it possible to introduce genes from wild potatoes into new varieties, as a result of which sustainable resistance can be achieved in a relatively short period, according to the WUR. This approach is called cisgeneses. With the aid of this technology, it is also possible to introduce more than one resistance simultaneously, whereby it is more difficult for the oomycete to penetrate. This promising Wageningen approach has attracted interest from all over the world and the three parties will collaborate to make the project a success. In addition to developing resistant potato varieties, it will also be necessary to design growing systems with socalled resistance management, in order to minimise the likelihood of Phytophthora infestans breaking through. The agreement also specifically allows for making the results of the new technology available to developing countries that depend on the cultivation of potatoes for their food. These are the countries in East Africa and East Asia. The three parties will actively explore ways in which developing countries that need such special knowledge can benefit from their collaboration. 12 Potato World 2009 • number 4 Pagina 11

Pagina 13

Interactieve digi-boek, deze sportblad of onderwijsmagazine is levensecht online geplaatst met Online Touch en bied het online plaatsen van e-flyers.

Potatoworld 2009/4 Lees publicatie 14Home