b"low. Instead of relying on seed tubers coming out of the field, Halterman explains. He adds this immensely speeds up theBut of course, as the cost potato seed duplication process.Using true potato seeds from diploids helps reduce diseasegoes down, also, some of the risk. Seed tubers can carry disease and can transfer it on to future crops. There are also storage concerns as seed tubersbenefits of diploid potato may must be stored correctly in order to not cause disease.The potatoes can only be stored for one crop year, you could store them over the winter, but you can't store them anotherdecrease, in particular, concerns year. If you want to maintain the varieties, you have to maintain them in tissue culture, Amy Charkowski, a professor in the plantabout picking up disease pathology department at Colorado State University, says.Despite diploids having only recently become mainstreamincrease with time in the field. industry news, the potato breeding world has known about them for decades. However, recent research is helping make them a more viable breeding option.Paul BethkePart of the story is we do know more about self-compati-bility, we have some tricks that allow for self-compatibility to be manipulated in ways that we didn't have before, Paul Bethke, a plant physiologist with the USDA, says. There are also advanced tools for molecular genomics and genetics, such as CRISPR, which are allowing for new things to be done with potato breeding that couldnt be done before.Making the SwitchDiploid potatoes wont be hitting the commercial market any-time soon though as theres still plenty to sort out. The cost of seed is unknown. Of course, the profitabilityprofessor in the department of horticulture and crop science at of everything is based starting with the cost of seed, BethkeOhio State University whose research focuses on tomatoes.explains. How much it costs to produce those seedsit's goingIf the industry switches, you'll find more true seed-borne to depend on in part where they're produced. Are they going todiseases, which is going to lead to issues of testing, and a seed be produced overseas, or they're going to produce locally? market that's subject to perturbation, Francis explains.There are also questions about how the seed would beShipping true potato seed around the world could cause propagated. Multiple scenarios could be done, Bethke says. Seedregulation issues. Francis says testing requirements could pre-could be grown in greenhouses and then plants distributed as isvent seed shipments as there may not be access available to done with tomatoes. Those plants could also then be grown inthose tests.fields to produce seed tubers as is done currently, which couldThere could also be a shift in who does potato breeding. help bring down seed costs. Currently most potato breeding is done by public institutions. But of course, as the cost goes down, also, some of theTrue seed potato breeding is going to drive potato breeding benefits of diploid potato may decrease, in particular, concernsfrom the public sector towards the private sector. It took several about picking up disease increase with time in the field, Bethkedecades for this to happen in the tomato world, you could even explains. argue a half a century, so there's not going to be an imminent An industry that has gone through a similar change is that ofchange, but there will be a slow and steady change, Francis the potatos vegetable cousinthe tomato. David Francis is asays.SW82/ SEEDWORLD.COMDECEMBER 2021"