The USDA has deregulated the Russet Burbank variety of the second generation of the J.R. Simplot Company’s Innate potatoes. Completion of the EPA registration and FDA consultation must take place before the second generation of Innate potatoes can be introduced into the marketplace.
The second generation of Innate potatoes contains four beneficial traits—achieved by adapting only genes from wild and cultivated potatoes—of relevance to potato growers, processors and consumers:
- Reduced bruising and black spots
- Reduced asparagine
- Resistance to late blight pathogens
- Enhanced cold storage capability
Early research suggests that these traits will translate to less land, water and pesticide applications to produce the potatoes. Researchers estimate that the Innate late blight resistance trait, regulated by the EPA, can result in a 25 to 45 percent reduction in fungicide applications annually to control late blight. Lower asparagine means that accumulation levels of acrylamide can be reduced by up to 90 percent when these potatoes are cooked at very high temperatures. In addition, lowered reducing sugars enable cold storage at 38 degrees Fahrenheit for more than six months without the buildup of sugars.