INTA Balcarce develops Argentina's first gene-edited potato variety

The INTA Balcarce Agrobiotechnology Laboratory has developed and officially registered OLI INTA, the first potato variety in Argentina produced through gene editing. The innovation aims to reduce economic losses and industrial waste by preventing enzymatic browning and bruising caused by mechanical damage during harvesting, transport, storage, and processing.

Researchers achieved this by precisely inactivating the polyphenol oxidase gene, which is responsible for the formation of dark pigments in damaged tissues. This allows the tubers to maintain their color after being cut and prevents the development of subsurface bruises.

Unlike transgenic organisms, this variety does not incorporate genetic information from other species. Consequently, it follows the same regulatory framework as varieties obtained through conventional breeding, facilitating its adoption in the commercial and industrial food chains.