POTATO PROGRAM

  The Potato Research Program of the National Agrarian University (UNALM) started its research activities in 1965. Since then, it has been permanently participating in the search of technological solutions for the improvement of the production and productivity of potatoes and other Andean tubers as well as root crops.
  The Potato Research Program is a unit of research and academic training, within the UNALM's School of Agriculture, focusing on potatoes and other selected tuber and root crops. This Program is composed by professors, researchers, and both graduate and undergraduate students developing their projects.

Research

These activities are oriented to develop and improve technologies that could help solving local, regional and national problems that affect its mandated crops.
The Potato Research Program has prioritized the following main projects:

1. Conservation and use of genetic resources.
2. Improvement of agronomic technology.
3. Potato breeding.
4. Production of high quality potato seed.
5. Transfer of technology.

Genetic Resources

The Program maintains and evaluates germplasm of Andean tuber crops: potatoes (Solanum tuberosum), oca (Oxalis tuberosa), olluco (Ullucus tuberosus) and mashua (Tropaeolum tuberosum) and the root crops: cassava (Manihot esculentum) and sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas).

Improvement of Agronomic Technology

Research is conducted to create, recuperate, validate and improve traditional and modern technologies to increase both the production and productivity of the potato crop.

Potato Breeding

After genetic recombination, segregating material is subjected to evaluation and selection for high productivity and tuber quality combined with resistance or tolerance to the main diseases and pests that limit yield.
The Potato Research Program has already contributed to the Peruvian Agriculture the commercial varieties ANTARQUI, COLLOTA, CUSCO, TOMASA CONDEMAYTA and YUNGAY. At present, the program counts with a new generation of advanced clones close to become new varieties. A concentrated effort to select early maturing varieties (90 days) is under way.

Production of High Quality Potato Seed

Research is conducted to develop, evaluate and improve technologies to multiply, manage, and distribute high quality seed.
The Program makes available to public and private institutions and individual farmers the following products:

1. In vitro plantlets free of viruses.
2. Pre-basic seed tubers produced in insect-proof screenhouses.
3. Basic seed tubers produced in the highlands.

Transfer of Technology

Technology transfer services are provided to public institutions, associations of potato producers and private farmers in the following lines:

• Training courses at the national and international levels.
• Conferences and seminars.
• Technical field assistance.
• Technical support to projects of development.
• Technical support in the preparation of project proposals.