Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine

[Germplasm enhancement ＆ genetic analysis of inter-specific barriers]
There are about 200 potato species, including native Andean varieties and wild species. Many species are resistant to diseases and climate change. However, their value has not yet been discovered. For sustainable agriculture, we research to introduce useful traits of wild and relative species into cultivated species. In addition, cultivated species and wild species are genetically isolated, so they cannot be used directly, or their pollen may have abnormalities. We research to unravel the mechanism of reproductive isolation at the DNA and RNA levels and expand the possibilities for the use of wild species.

[Make a success of F1 potato]
Potatoes have berries that look like cherry tomatoes. There are approximately 200 seeds inside. My dream is to produce potatoes by sowing these seeds instead of seed potatoes. We are researching hybrid vigor to produce potatoes that can be harvested in high yield even from seeds, and on self-compatibility to obtain uniform seeds. If this becomes a reality, we believe it will improve the world's potato production system and make a big contribution to solving food problems.

Research on,

• heterosis in potato
• self-incompatible inhibitor gene
• cytoplasmic male sterility and fertility restoration factors
• photoperiod sensitivity in potato
• black spot bruising