Potato breeding

Within the breeding program, approximately 30 crossing families (unique cross combinations) are made annually to obtain about 10,000 seedlings in the first selection cycle. Prior to the second selection cycle, selection is mainly based on skin finish, size, and shape. Resistance to late blight (Phytophthora infestans) and yield, as well as other tuber quality traits, are focused on more in later selection cycles. These traits include, among others, cooking type, after-cooking darkening, skin color, flesh color, and starch content (derived from specific gravity). To ensure virus-free seed, all lines from the second selection cycle onwards are grown in Umeå, where the growing season is short and the occurrence of virus-spreading insects is low.

The work is carried out by a 1 full-time (1 FTE) practical breeder and a professor (0.1 FTE).