India: Two new potato varieties could improve yields by 25%

These hybrid varieties are showing promising results, as they might improve yields by 25 per cent to 30 per cent. 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 has stated that 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.

"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 told menafn.com.

He added that both of these crops have passed the laboratory level tests and now field testing is on. "We have identified four or five farmers in Ooty in the vicinity of the CPRI itself. The enterprising farmers are ready to scale up their production to produce more seeds," he explained.

According to Mhatre, these two varieties will improve yield capacity about 20 to 25 per cent besides reducing production cost by 30 per cent.