Staff

SANETOMO Rena

Associate Professor

Theme

Potato Germplasm Enhancement

My Dream

Make a success of F1 potato breeding

Belongs

Research Department, Department of Agro-environmental Science, Division of Plant Production Science, Section of Plant Production Science

Center for Industry-University Collaboration, Potato Germplasm Enhancement Laboratory

Faculty (Unit)

Plant Production Program

Field of research Plant breeding and genetics, Plant Reproduction
Keyword Potato, Plant breeding, Wild species, Genome, Resistance gene, Inter-specific barrier, Plant reproduction, Cytoplasmic male sterility, Self-incompatibility

Introduction

[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.

Green house
pollen tube growth into pistil
potato cultivar vs wiild species

List of current research topics

Research on,

  • heterosis in potato
  • self-incompatible inhibitor gene
  • cytoplasmic male sterility and fertility restoration factors
  • photoperiod sensitivity in potato
  • black spot bruising
Related industries agriculture
Affiliated academic society The Potato Association of America
Academic degree Ph.D.
Room address General Research Building II
Room number 305
Mail address sanetomo atmark obihiro.ac.jp