Under the name NOVA, Royal HZPC Group will introduce its hybrid potato varieties in the coming years. In Kenya, the first variety has already been submitted for registration. A major milestone in the Resilience Revolution, says CEO Hans Huistra: “Although we cannot export to Kenya, farmers there will soon have access to certified, clean, and strong seed material.”
Twice as fast – and grown from seed
“A hybrid potato tastes and looks just like the potato we all know,” explains Hans Huistra. “The difference lies in the breeding technique. With the right genetics, hybrid breeding allows us to develop new varieties faster. For example, when a new disease emerges, resistance can lead to a new hybrid variety up to twice as fast as with classical breeding. Hybrid potatoes can also be grown from seed—an innovation that opens new markets.”
From impossible to breakthrough
“Hybrid breeding has been successful for decades in crops like maize and tomato,” says Ad Vrolijk, Program Leader Hybrid Breeding at Royal HZPC Group. “For potatoes, it seemed impossible due to genetic limitations around self-pollination. But in 1999, Japanese scientist Hosaka published a discovery of a gene in a wild potato that enables self-pollination. Eventually, we succeeded in crossing this gene into existing varieties. Since 2011, our research team has invested heavily in hybrid breeding. And now, it’s paying off.”
Focus on Africa and Asia
Hybrid breeding offers the greatest short-term potential in regions where farmers lack access to high-quality seed potatoes. In Kenya, for example, only 10% of the 800,000 small-scale potato farmers have access to clean and strong seed material. This impacts food security—especially in areas with high disease pressure.
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Ad Vrolijk explains: “In Kenya, late blight is a year-round problem. Crop protection products are hard to obtain, expensive, or misused. Many farmers spray little or not at all. That’s why we also test without crop protection. Our hybrid variety, codename D23HY2515, matches the yield of Kenya’s leading variety and is the only one that maintains its performance under high late blight pressure, thanks to its dual resistance.”
Seed potatoes remain essential
“Hybrid breeding is advancing rapidly, but seed potatoes remain essential,” says Hans Huistra. “Even with hybrid varieties, tubers are still the most reliable method for high yields.”
Ad Vrolijk adds: “In Kenya, farmers using hybrid potatoes still follow the traditional process. Especially because plants from seed need more time to form large tubers. Farmers want to reuse their land after 100 days for another crop.”
Hybrid potatoes in Europe?
According to Royal HZPC Group, it will take time before hybrid potatoes are introduced in Europe. Ad Vrolijk explains: “Creating pure parent lines—a crucial part of hybrid breeding—is an intensive and long-term process. And the standards in Europe and North America are higher. Here, we’ve worked with high-quality seed material for decades. At Royal HZPC Group, we’ve been breeding for over 125 years—you don’t catch up with that overnight.”
“In Kenya, we’re making a difference because access to quality seed material is limited. But it’s only logical that hybrid potatoes will eventually play a role in Europe too.”
Making a difference in food security
“All in all, hybrid breeding promises a bright future for potato cultivation,” concludes Hans Huistra. “Especially because it enables clean and strong seed material to be made available to small-scale farmers in selected regions. That can make a real difference in food security. And that’s what drives us.”
