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KWS and Simplot together on hybrid potato
JR Simplot Company from the United States and KWS Saat from Germany have set up a joint venture: Aardevo BV Within this company, the development of hybrid potato varieties from seed is bundled.
Earth Vo focuses focused on developing new hybrid varieties. In 2016, KWS divested itself of the conventional seed potato branch to focus entirely on the hybrid potato. In recent years, Simplot introduced new potato varieties to the American market that are less affected by blue discoloration or the formation of the carcinogenic substance acrylamide. The company uses genetic modification for this.
More return
KWS has been working on the hybrid potato for 7 years. "The development and marketing of these varieties will be accelerated with the joint venture," says Peter Hofmann of the German seed company. The joint goal of the two companies is to market as many new varieties as possible. They should yield a better return.
“There are thousands of wild potato varieties, with varietal characteristics that could be of great importance to today's commercial varieties,” said Scott Simplot. "Together with KWS, we can make these properties available to the farmer."
Accelerate development
Developing a new variety now takes 15 years. Aardvo wants to speed up this process by using diploid hybrid potatoes from seed. These are easier to cross than conventional tetraploid varieties. Potatoes can be sown by using so-called 'true potato seed'. This means that huge quantities of seed potatoes do not have to be shipped.
Aardvo settles in Nagele, where KWS has been since 2013 is located† In addition to potatoes, sugar beet and maize varieties are tested there. A second R&D center is opened in Boise (in the state of Idaho) in the United States. Both parties own 50% of the shares. It is not known how much the companies have invested in this joint venture.
More players
Potatoes from seed are both an opportunity and a threat to the seed potato sector. Solynta is a well-known Dutch company that is very advanced in its development. HZPC is also active, while Agrico remains faithful to the tuber. Vegetable seed specialist Bejo is also working on a hybrid potato.
Niels van der Boom
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