The Texas A&M Potato Breeding Program has released a new potato variety, Duncan Russet, designed to tackle two major challenges for southern growers: high temperatures and viral infections. The variety was launched in August and is already being positioned as a practical option for the region's potato industry.
Duncan Russet's key traits are its heat tolerance and virus resistance, which together address common yield-limiting pressures in southern climates. According to the program, these characteristics will directly benefit growers in Texas and other southern states, where heat stress and viruses can otherwise reduce crop quality and output.
This release underscores ongoing efforts to develop crop varieties tailored to regional conditions. By combining disease resistance with heat resilience, Duncan Russet offers a potential buffer for farmers facing increasingly unpredictable growing conditions.