“Resistant to blows”: presented the first gene-edited potato variety in the country

Argentina's National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) Balcarce has unveiled "OLI INTA," a groundbreaking potato variety developed through gene editing. This new potato resists internal damage from bruising and maintains its color after being cut, a significant advancement aimed at reducing waste throughout the production and processing chain.

The variety has been registered with the National Seed Institute (Inase). Researchers at INTA Balcarce's Agrobiotechnology Laboratory successfully inactivated the polyphenol oxidase gene. This modification prevents the formation of dark pigments in damaged tissues, a common issue that leads to browning after a potato is cut or bruised.

Gabriela Massa, a researcher at INTA and Conicet, explained that reducing enzymatic browning significantly decreases industrial discards and enhances the final product's quality. "The potato is 'resistant to blows' because the inactive enzyme prevents it from developing where the potato is hit," she stated. This resistance also lowers the amount of potatoes rejected by the industry, contributing to environmental benefits.

Extensive trials and evaluation processes have confirmed that OLI INTA tubers show no sub-surface bruising when subjected to impacts during harvest, transport, or storage. Crucially, the gene-editing technique used does not introduce genetic information from other species, differentiating OLI INTA from transgenic organisms. Massa noted, "This aspect is key from a regulatory standpoint, as these varieties follow the same regulations as those obtained through conventional breeding."

Sergio Feingold, former coordinator of INTA's National Biotechnology Program, highlighted that this technology allows for the incorporation of desirable traits into successful production varieties, representing a fundamental shift in potato breeding. Gene editing is seen as a strategic tool that accelerates development times and aids adaptation to new environmental conditions, pests, and diseases. The registration of OLI INTA occurs amid growing international recognition of gene-edited crops, with the European Union recently advancing a new framework for New Genomic Techniques (NGTs).