Farmers currently spray potato crops 10 to 15 times each season to control late blight, at a cost of roughly £500 per hectare, and still risk losing seed potatoes to viruses. This project aims to replace those chemical sprays with genetic resistance. Researchers will insert a bundle of five resistance genes—three against late blight, two against potato viruses PVY and PLRV—into the popular Maris Piper and Charlotte potato varieties. Because the genes come from wild potato relatives, the resulting plants qualify as cisgenic under the UK’s 2023 Precision Breeding Act, avoiding the regulatory hurdles of transgenic crops. If successful, the impact is concrete. Virus-resistant potatoes could allow seed production in East Anglia, cutting the carbon emissions from trucking seed potatoes from Scotland to English growers. Farmers could stop applying aphicides. The project partners—a startup called BioPotatoes and seed company Greenseed International—will handle commercial scale-up. The resulting tubers would be sold as PiperPlus 3.0 or CharlottePlus 3.0, marketed as “Protected from disease with biology, not chemistry.” The researchers also plan to make the improved lines available to allotment growers, aiming to demonstrate public appetite for cisgenic crops and counter scepticism about genetic methods.
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This proposal aims to advance deployment of potato varieties that are precision-bred cisgenic lines under the 2023 Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act (PBA) and that combine 3 Solanum Rpi genes controlling late blight (LB) resistance, with Rysto and Rladg for potato virus Y (PVY) and leaf roll virus (PLRV) resistance, in an “LBRyRoll” DNA construct delivered into plant cells via Agrobacterium. This will enhance seed potato production in England, reduce the environmental impact and costs of potato production and exemplify the benefits of replacing chemical solutions for pests and diseases with genetic solutions. The UK Government recently confirmed its intention to introduce the secondary legislation required to implement the Precision Breeding Act, providing regulatory clarity for this project. Farmers spray potato crops 10-15 times/year to control late blight caused by Phytophthora infestans, costing ~£500/hectare. Warmer temperatures in Scotland hinder aphid control to restrict virus infection; seed potatoes are often rejected because they carry PVY or PLRV. Farmers benefit financially from not applying aphicides - virus resistance would support aphicide-free cultivation. We will identify elite lines carrying LBRyRoll in the popular variety Maris Piper and in the Charlotte salad potato variety. These varieties are not protected by Plant Breeders’ Rights. Via TSL’s interaction with BioPotatoes Ltd. (“BioP”), in which TSL Ventures is a shareholder, we (i) interact with major potato growers and packers that supply potatoes to major retailers and (ii) partner with Greenseed International Limited (“GIL”), a leading seed potato company for mini-tuber-based amplification and evaluation of elite lines. Once we exemplify the benefits and path to market for LB, PVY and PLRV resistance, we will identify other partners to add LB and virus resistance to other potato varieties. There is considerable appetite and capacity for seed potato production in East Anglia if virus resistance were available, reducing CO2 emissions from trucking seed potatoes from Scotland to English growers. Resulting tubers will be identity-preserved to consumers as PiperPlus 3.0 or CharlottePlus 3.0, with messages such as “Protected from disease with biology, not chemistry”. The PBA creates an opportunity to reap the benefits of 25 years of BBSRC-sponsored research into plant disease resistance and bring discoveries to public use and benefit. Our path comprises (i) creation and selection of elite cisgenic PBA-approvable LB and virus-resistant Maris Piper and Charlotte (ii) partnership with UK startup BioPotatoes who will contribute 10% of the costs of the project, 5% in cash and 5% in-kind (iii) partnership with seed potato company GIL who will make a 10% in-kind contribution to evaluate performance of leading lines and to amplify elite lines using minituber propagation. We believe late blight and virus-resistant varieties will help address the current crisis in the potato industry. We also intend that cisgenic late blight- and virus-resistant Charlotte and Maris Piper will be made available to allotment growers to exemplify the appeal of the improved lines to the public. This should help address concerns expressed by those sceptical about improving crops with these methods, that "people don't want cisgenic potatoes".
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