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Project POMORROW is decoding the genetic material of all potatoes in the German gene bank
Potatoes are the fourth most important crop in the world after rice, wheat, and corn—and play a crucial role in feeding the global population. However, little is known about the genetic diversity of the potatoes stored in Germany. This is set to change now: as part of the POMORROW – Potatoes for Tomorrow project, the entire potato collection in the German gene bank will be fully genotyped for the first time. This is made possible by funding from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
POMORROW – a cooperative effort
A total of 6,357 potato accessions are stored in the German gene bank. A consortium of five research institutes and three plant breeding companies aims to comprehensively study this unique genetic resource. The goal: to identify accessions that are pest-resistant, require little fertilizer, or have high stress tolerance—traits that are becoming increasingly important for sustainable and climate-adapted cultivation.
Selected DNA segments from all potato accessions will be sequenced and compared with each other. From these, accessions that best represent the genetic diversity of the group will be selected. They will form the core collection. The complete genome will be decoded for ten of these potato strains. The data obtained in this way will be used to develop a prediction model that can derive the characteristics of a potato plant from genetic information – and thus significantly accelerate the breeding of robust varieties.
Research focus: Drought tolerance in Potsdam
The Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology (MPI MP) in Potsdam is making an important contribution to this. Here, 240 accessions are being examined for their ability to survive drought stress – a crucial factor in times of increasing droughts. The focus is also on the interaction between potato plants and mycorrhizal fungi, which – similar to the human gut microbiome – can promote the resilience of plants.
“Field trials on potato varieties show that mycorrhizal fungi can help plants to absorb nutrients more efficiently and better cope with stress. We now want to test this in a genetically diverse group in order to find parents for the potato varieties of the future,” explains MPI MP Director Prof. Dr. Caroline Gutjahr, who heads the work at the institute together with Dr. Karin Köhl.
The researchers are exposing selected potato lines to mycorrhizal fungi that are also used in horticulture. They will then examine which lines respond particularly positively to the fungal partners. State-of-the-art laser scanners are used to monitor growth under different irrigation conditions. Drought-tolerant potatoes ensure stable yields even in the event of water shortages and help farmers meet the challenges of climate change. The POMORROW project is thus making an important contribution to preserving the potato as a reliable food source in the future – in a sustainable, resource-efficient, and climate-adapted manner.
Project partners involved:
Scientific partners:
Julius Kühn Institute
Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK)
Institute of Plant Biology and Biotechnology (IBBP)
Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology
Institut für Pflanzenschutz, Hochschule Geisenheim University (HGU)
Business partners:
SaKa Pflanzenzucht GmbH & Co. KG
Europlant Innovation GmbH & Co. KG
Norika GmbH
Gemeinschaft zur Förderung von Pflanzeninnovation e. V. (GFPi)
Dr. Karin Köhl
Leader Plant Cultivation/Transformation
Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology
koehl@mpimp-golm.mpg.de
+49 331 567 - 8111
https://www.mpimp-golm.mpg.de/2800196/news_publication_25387229_transferred?c=62...
A large number of potato plants grew in the greenhouses of the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Pla ...
Source: MPI-MP/sevens+maltry
Copyright: MPI-MP/sevens+maltry
The first potato harvest of the project has already been gathered at the MPI MP.
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A large number of potato plants grew in the greenhouses of the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Pla ...
Source: MPI-MP/sevens+maltry
Copyright: MPI-MP/sevens+maltry
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