PW-ACTUA Salt-tolerant varieties have a nicer taste Journal editors and journalists of the national press came to the island of Texel late July to meet the first salty delicacies from Dutch soil. At the Zilt Experimental farm in Den Hoorn, there were 26 seedlings and new potato varieties in total that were especially selected for salt tolerance and were ready to be tasted. The taste test showed that there are already varieties that fully deserve the name tasty and salt tolerant. Whilst the first promising salt-tolerant potatoes were gently cooking, director Peter Keijzer of the Fobek breeding station at St. Annaparochie answered a barrage of questions from assembling journalists. A happening on Texel, that is always nice. Especially when there is something to eat as well. And salty potatoes, that sounds promising. The fact that the most important thing was the salt tolerance of the potato plant, is what every journalist still remembers. What do you mean, salty soil, could you explain that please. Why can potatoes not tolerate that? Will they then taste salty, so you don’t need to add salt? Increasing salinisation In the bombardment of questions, Keijzer stands quietly behind the cooking pot and gives his answers. ‘As a result of climate change, a lot of arable land in the Netherlands is being confronted with salinisation. This is already happening in many other countries. Well, the potato is an important food item, here and in the rest of the world. Most varieties we get on our plates today are not doing too well in saline soil. We try to solve that problem by developing salt-tolerant varieties. There are already a few varieties that are doing quite well in saline soil, but varieties haven’t really been researched for this characteristic. That’s what we are doing here as well.’ Some of them, Keijzer has in his cooking pots. These are the Miss Mignon, the Smile, Obama and Red Valentine. These varieties are not only salt tolerant, they are also rather tasty in Keijzer’s view. Selection adjusted When they taste these potatoes, the journalists nod in assent. And also the chefs and restaurateurs and even the representatives of the supermarkets are enthusiastic. Keijzer goes on to tell them that these potatoes haven’t been grown in too salty water. ‘We have used water that has 20% of the salinity of seawater. What we have already noticed in the first experiments is that the varieties that are known to be averse to salt are still able to produce reasonable yields in saline soil conditions. For example, when we look at quality table potato varieties, they even get a better taste than when they are grown in non-saline soil. As a result of this, we have had to adjust our selection methods.’ ● Why can potatoes not tolerate salt? Will they then taste salty, so you don’t need to add salt? In the bombardment of questions, breeder Peter Keijzer stands quietly behind the cooking pot and gives his answers. 16 Potato World 2011 • number 4 Pagina 15
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