UĞUR PIRLAK: BREEDING ACTIVITIES OF NEW POTATO SEEDS IN OUR INSTITUTE GO ON CONTINUOUSLY

Breeding activities of Potato Research Institute, located in Niğde province, started in 2005 so as to bring domestic potato seeds to the sector continue...

Varieties of "Onaran 2015", "Ünlenen", "Nam", "Nahita", "Leventbey" and "Muratbey" which have been developed and registered in the Institute previously, are being sold to private sector.

Potato Research Institute Director Uğur Pırlak said that efforts to develop local potato varieties in the institute are proceeding.


Pırlak also stated that they have obtained 912 thousand hybrid potato seeds by hybridization of potato varieties with many features, especially in greenhouses established within the institute.

Pırlak explained, "We sow 86 thousand tubers of hybrid potato seeds obtained in different generations. Previously, our institute had brought 10 domestic potato varieties to the country's agriculture, 6 of these varieties were sold to the private sector and handed over. Next year we will sell some of our domestic seeds. Certification and advanced seed production goes on presently."

Pırlak noted that they have developed enough seeds for the edible potato market and that they are now focusing on industrial varieties.

Trials continue...

Pointing out that there is a lack of potato variety aimed at the food industry, Pırlak added,

"In order to overcome this deficiency, our institute is working on industrial varieties. We continue our efforts to develop varieties that are highly productive, which are resistant to diseases and can be kept in the sector, especially in our country and potato industry. Currently, we have developed two types of industry oriented varieties. One of them is suitable for finger potato, the other one is for chips. Their trials still continue."

"In the coming period, we will submit these varieties to the registration and bring them in the agriculture of our country. Furthermore we plan to meet an important need of our sector as an institute. In this way, we will ensure that this need in our country will be met with local industrial varieties," Pırlak concluded...