The search is on for the super spuds.

With two billion people worldwide reliant on potatoes for food there’s no doubt they play a vital role in keeping people going.

And now scientists have finished mapping the potato genome, an achievement they say could revolutionize the way we grow potatoes.

The scientists say that fully understanding the potato’s genome will result in farmers being able to grow better, healthier, more disease resistant spuds, faster.

After chipping away at the research for the last five years, researchers have found 39,000 genes in the common potato, and identified the genes responsible for health, yields and pest and disease resistance. 

Plant and Food scientist Dr Jeanne Jacobs was involved in the genome mapping and says finishing the project after five years rigorous study is highly significant.

“The way you’re going to see the science on the farm is through the breeding programmes. To get faster breeding hopefully, to get more, quicker focus in the breeding programme on the traits that really interest us.

“So rather than starting with say,  10,000 seedlings in the first year in the breeding programme and select for that over the years. We can very quickly zoom in and say, of those 10,000, here are the 500 or the 1000 you really want to pursue, if you want to go for better nutritional value, for instance.

“So the efficiencies in the breeding programme is where we are first going to see the gains.” 

Potatoes New Zealand business development manager Ron Gall says the genome research is incredibly exciting for growers. 

“You know there’s all sorts of potential opportunities in terms or resistance, disease resistant varieties, insect resistant varieties, bringing traits together additional nutrition.

“I think potentially that the opportunities are limitless – just like many things you’re only limited by your imagination.”