February 2024 - 8

Breeding for greater resilience is one of the main
objectives of the University of Maine's potato breeding
program. Photo courtesy of the University of Maine
WATER WORRIES
Potato sector addresses ongoing resource challenges
By Melanie Epp
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
W
8
ater is one of the earth's most
precious resources. Clean
water is vital to maintaining
the health of humans, plants and animals
alike. It is also necessary for sanitation
and food processing.
Unfortunately, water quality and
quantity are often taken for granted,
especially in developed nations. Climate
change, however, has put a spotlight
on water issues, prompting potato
Spudman * February 2024
BREEDING FOR RESILIENCE
Potatoes are sensitive to moisture
stress; both high and low moisture levels
strain plant production. Potato crops
need high soil moisture levels to thrive,
yet they grow best in well-drained, sandy
loam to silt-loam soils, which have very
little water-holding capacity.
Breeding for greater resilience is one
of the main objectives of the University
industry experts to look for solutions
to challenges that impact both water
quality and availability.
of Maine's (UMaine) potato breeding
program.
Mario Andrade, assistant professor
of potato breeding and genetics, said
that while the program does not focus
specifically on drought tolerance,
trials are conducted without the use
of irrigation. Doing so allows the
researchers to select cultivars that are
naturally more resistant to water stress.
Moisture stress is not new to Maine.
In 2020, the state experienced a severe
drought that resulted in a 20% reduction
in potato yields. Less than 10% of potato

February 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2024

Editor's Letter
Water worries
Necessity driving invention
Growing concern
Making an impact
Potato Association of America
National Potato Council
Potatoes USA
Calendar
Advertiser Index
February 2024 - 1
February 2024 - 2
February 2024 - 3
February 2024 - Editor's Letter
February 2024 - 5
February 2024 - 6
February 2024 - 7
February 2024 - Water worries
February 2024 - 9
February 2024 - 10
February 2024 - 11
February 2024 - Necessity driving invention
February 2024 - 13
February 2024 - 14
February 2024 - 15
February 2024 - Growing concern
February 2024 - 17
February 2024 - 18
February 2024 - 19
February 2024 - Making an impact
February 2024 - 21
February 2024 - 22
February 2024 - 23
February 2024 - 24
February 2024 - 25
February 2024 - 26
February 2024 - 27
February 2024 - Potato Association of America
February 2024 - 29
February 2024 - National Potato Council
February 2024 - 31
February 2024 - Potatoes USA
February 2024 - 33
February 2024 - Advertiser Index
February 2024 - 35
February 2024 - 36
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/september-october-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/july-august-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/may-june-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/april-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/march-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-january-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-november-december-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-september-october-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-july-august-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-may-june-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-march-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-february-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-january-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-november-december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-september-october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-july-august-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/may-june-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/april-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/march-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/january-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/november-december-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/september-october-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/july-august-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/may-june-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/april-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/march-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/january-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/november-december-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/september-october-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/july-august-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/may-june-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/april-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/march-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/february-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/january-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/november-december-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/september-october-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/july-august-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/may-june-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/april-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/march-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/february-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/basf-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/january-2019
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