Researchers have spent decades breeding better potatoes for chips, and their work isn’t done
Summary
Researchers have spent many years developing new types of potatoes specifically for making chips. These potatoes are bred to grow in different climates, resist pests and diseases, last long in storage, and meet changing market needs like smaller chip sizes.Key Facts
- David Douches from Michigan State University leads a program that breeds better potatoes for chip makers.
- He has created five new chip potato varieties in the last 15 years.
- His latest potato is bioengineered to keep sugar levels balanced in cold storage, reducing spoilage.
- Michigan is the leading U.S. state for producing potatoes for chips, with a $2.5 billion potato industry.
- The National Chip Program, involving 12 universities, chip companies, farmers, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, tests hundreds of new potato types annually.
- About 50 different potato varieties are grown in the U.S. specifically for chips.
- The program’s strong collaboration between researchers and the chip industry helps improve potato varieties continuously.
- The improved potatoes also support farmers in other countries by providing disease-resistant strains to fight hunger.
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