• The NEIKER technology centre has developed a potato variety containing 30% more antioxidants than traditional varieties and boasting a robust genetic makeup that promotes sustainable agricultural production 

• Its suitability for frying and the stability of its natural colour allow the industry to produce distinctive products without the need for additives 

• The new variety, whose name means ‘satisfaction’ in Basque, has been added to NEIKER’s catalogue of assets following seven years of research and field trials

 

Purple skin and purple and white flesh. These are the characteristics of Atsegiñe, the new potato variety that the NEIKER technology centre has registered with the Register of Commercial Varieties and the Community Plant Variety Office.

This milestone is the result of a seven-year research process that began with the manual crossing of selected parent lines and was consolidated after six years of field trials. Having passed the official tests for distinctness, uniformity and stability (DUS), this innovation can now reach the market through exploitation licences.

Having completed these official procedures, the development of Atsegiñe enables NEIKER to position itself in a new market segment: bagged crisps with coloured chips. NEIKER is making available to the crisp industry and seed producers a raw material with the potential to create differentiated products and good agronomic characteristics.

“The tuber has a dry matter content of 22.50% and a reducing sugar content of 0.17%; this variety ensures a crisp texture and prevents browning or the development of bitter flavours when fried at high temperatures,” says Nacho Ruiz de Galarreta, a researcher in NEIKER’s Department of Plant Production and Protection.

Beyond its industrial and culinary uses, this new variety also stands out for its nutritional profile. Thanks to its high concentration of anthocyanins, which also allow it to retain its purple colour after frying or cooking, Atsegiñe contains 30% more antioxidants than white varieties.

“These anthocyanins combat oxidation and cellular ageing, transforming a staple food into a functional resource that meets the demand for healthy eating,” explains the researcher.

Resistance and profitability

From an agricultural production perspective, this variety exhibits natural resistance to downy mildew and the Y virus (PVY), the main diseases that affect crop yield and seed quality. This genetic robustness makes it possible to reduce the use of plant protection products, thereby lowering operating costs for the farmer and improving the farm’s environmental sustainability.

Once harvested, to ensure these qualities remain intact until processing, the variety requires specific handling, such as storage at a temperature above 7°C; this prevents the cold from increasing sugar levels, thereby maintaining the optimum quality for crisp production.

Research and transfer of plant varieties

NEIKER’s work in this field has a long history focused on transferring research findings to the primary sector. An example of this work is the development of potato varieties such as Miren, Gorbea and Leire, created through crossbreeding between genotypes from the centre’s germplasm bank, as part of the Gastrovalocal project. This initiative also focuses on the technical revaluation of plant species from the Basque Country that were no longer cultivated due to lower productivity or changes in market demand.

Alongside the recovery of old material, the centre maintains a line of innovation aimed at responding to current market needs. In this area, new varieties have been developed that are already present in the sector, such as Beltza, which stands out for its purple colour and high antioxidant content, or Edurne, intended for fresh consumption due to characteristics such as its thin skin and pale yellow flesh, parameters suitable for home cooking and frying.

With the registration of Atsegiñe – a name derived from Basque meaning ‘satisfaction’ or ‘delight’ – NEIKER offers a solution that combines productivity in the field with consumer trends. This development enables research findings to be translated into benefits: on the one hand, for the sector by providing a more suitable variety, and on the other, for the industry by giving access to an innovative product. In this way, the knowledge generated at the technology centre becomes a practical tool for improving the competitiveness of the potato sector.