We develop and embrace newly emerging approaches and technologies such as diploid hybrid breeding, genomic selection and NGS-derived technologies in our potato breeding.
For disease resistance, we have incorporated in our breeding programs new resistances against the two most important pathogens in the UK, late blight and potato cyst nematodes.
We have developed highly diagnostic, cost-effective and universally transferable markers for marker assisted selection (MAS). These markers, derived through diagnostic resistance gene enrichment (dRenSeq) technology, are at the heart of the resistance breeding and inform parental selection and progeny screening.
Genetically more complex traits such as tuber quality and resilience towards abiotic stresses are addressed through quantitative genetic approaches.
Indeed, these traits lend themselves to genomic selection which we are developing for traits such as starch/dry matter contents and chipping quality.
For further information on Genetics and Breeding, please visit the following pages:
