Organically grown potato from Hungary resistant to blight, scientists find

摘要

London--An obscure variety of purple potato from Hungary may give the organic food industry a big boost because it is resistant to a fungus organism that causes blight, scientists at the University of Newcastle in the United Kingdom announced September 17. Carlo Leifert, a professor of ecological agriculture at the University of Newcastle, said the purple tuber needs no synthetic pesticides, fungicides, or fertilizers to resist blight. The blight resistance was achieved not by genetic modificationsbut through the old-fashioned method of cross-breeding, he said. This could help organic farmers who see crops worth millions of pounds destroyed by blight every year. "It's extremely promising for organic farmers and consumers," he said. "A potato thatcan be grown commercially without chemicals would be an important breakthrough for the organic movement worldwide."