Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association
Interview with Dr. John Bamberg
The potato is a remarkable food crop, but one that is susceptible to many pests, diseases, environmental stresses and quality problems. Fortunately, it has a great wealth of wild and cultivated relatives with genes that mitigate these problems, and are relatively easy to hybridize.
The US Potato Genebank (USPG) in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, is a cooperative project between USDA/ARS and all 50 SAES, with special support from the
University of Wisconsin. It is the only federal facility designated to support the germplasm needs of the US potato industry and is the most comprehensive and active collection in the world. It coordinates all aspects of importation, classification, preservation and multiplication, documentation and distribution of germplasm.
The potato is a remarkable food crop, but one that is susceptible to many pests, diseases, environmental stresses and quality problems. Fortunately, it has a great wealth of wild and cultivated relatives with genes that mitigate these problems, and are relatively easy to hybridize.