Selecting for Resilience in Low-input Potato Cropping Systems: Connecting Farmers and Breeders with the Genetic Resources of an Underutilized Potato Germplasm Collection

Selecting for Resilience in Low-input Potato Cropping Systems: Connecting Farmers and Breeders with the Genetic Resources of an Underutilized Potato Germplasm Collection

Summary

The goal of our organic potato research program, which began in 2007, is an integrated, participatory potato breeding, variety evaluation and seed potato production system that serves the needs of the approximately 220 organic and low-input potato farmers in the Midwest. Modern potato varieties have been bred using conventional practices and may not be suited for organic and low input production systems. Our first objective is to evaluate 100 potato varieties for their immediate value in low-input and organic potato cropping systems, and for the resilience of their performance across multiple environments in a participatory trial. The 12 participating farmers will evaluate variety performance with guidance from researchers, focusing on traits such as plant vigor, pest and disease resistance, yield, taste and market appeal. Varieties will also be evaluated in ?disease nurseries? located on University research farms for their resistance to common potato diseases. Our second objective is to use modern genetic tools to characterize the diversity of these potato varieties to determine the potential for crop improvement through a breeding program for low-input cropping systems. Information on potato production and variety characteristics will be provided to growers and researchers through farming conferences, peer-reviewed publications, variety descriptions as Wikipedia pages, and printable fact sheets. Development of a participatory variety trialing and seed production system requires building a community. In addition to evaluating our project by its scientific output, we will evaluate it by interviewing participating farmers and undergraduate students throughout our project to identify and address challenges and opportunities that occur during this project.

Objectives/Performance Targets

Objective 1: Evaluate potato varieties for their immediate value in low-input potato cropping systems, and for the resilience of their performance across multiple environments. We plan to evaluate 100 potato varieties from the Seed Savers Exchange (SSE) collection at multiple organic farms. In 2012, we were able to grow enough seed of 28 lines to allow for on-farm trials. Several additional lines will be grown on a university research station, both for evaluation and to produce tubers for on-farm evaluation in 2014. Some of the varieties produced so poorly in early generation seed production that they were discarded from further analysis. We also were involved in training a local conventional farmer in early generation seed potato production methods. He plans to begin transitioning a portion of his farm to organic seed potato production in 2014. In 2013, we will be sending him 54 heirloom lines to trial on his farm. Finally, the first steps of propagation for early generation seed production for future on-farm trials in 2014 were completed (seed production for on-farm trials requires at least 18 months before the trials). We also completed a small scale evaluation of color and quality changes in red potato varieties during storage. Finally, we continued to recruit farmers for variety trialing. Objective 2: Characterize the genetic diversity of potato varieties to determine the potential for crop improvement through a breeding program for low-input cropping systems. In 2012, we made arrangements for transfer of a portion of the Seed Savers Exchange potato collection to UW-Madison. We also identified an undergraduate student for this project. In early 2013, this student was trained in plant tissue culture. He will begin genetic and agronomic analysis of these varieties in spring 2013.

Accomplishments/Milestones

In 2012, we produced enough seed potatoes from 57 lines for field trials in 2013. Of these, we have enough seed from 28 lines for on-farm trials. The remaining lines will be assessed on a university research farm and the harvested potatoes will be stored for trials in 2014. Seed potatoes will be produced from additional lines that are currently only available as tissue culture plantlets in 2013. We also obtained the plant material and identified a student for completion of Objective Two.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

The impacts of this project include: 1. a workshop at the MOSES Organic Farm conferences in Feb 2013. 2. preparation for on-farm evaluations of seed potatoes in 2013. 3. training of a Wisconsin conventional farmers interested in organic seed potato production. He will trial varieties in 2013 and intends to begin transitioning to early generation seed potato production of specialty lines in 2014. 4. development of a website useful for disseminating information about our project.

Collaborators: