By Lara Fominoff @fomsy1 on Twitter

Univeristy of Lethbridge to begin new research in potato science

Jan 17, 2017 | 10:30 AM

 
LETHBRIDGE – New, potato science lab-based research projects and courses at the University of Lethbridge will begin this month.
 
Research Chair, and Plant Biologist Dmytro Yevtushenko, says the focus will be on the physiological age of seed potatoes, storage, large scale production of mini-tubers, and disease management. All areas are of practical interest to the potato industry, especially to local companies and producers.
 
“Alberta has, in my opinion, and in the opinion of other scientists, excellent conditions for growing potatoes. It’s relatively warm weather… not too hot. Just warm, just right. Large number of sunny days, very cold winters that kills many pathogens. Therefore, (the) quality of potatoe(s) coming from the province of Alberta is very high. Much higher compared with other neighbors.”
 
Yevtushenko hopes to have more than a dozen new graduate and undergraduate students as members of his team in the next six months, if a $500,000 grant application he completes at the end of this month is approved.
 
He says the number of research projects and number of students accepted to this program is dependent on getting the grant.
 
“Hopefully, if we are successful, and we are working very hard to be successful in this grant application, the money will come around summer.”
 
The goal is also for the students to become highly qualified employees and future scientists in the potato industry over the next several years.
 
Part of the grant is expected to come from McCain Foods, Cavendish Farms, the Potato Growers of Alberta and Lamb Weston.