Belarus advances development of nutrient-rich coloured potato varieties

Belarus is expanding scientific work on coloured potato varieties, a growing global food trend valued for both its appearance and nutritional properties, as reported by BelTA, a partner of TV BRICS.

At the Scientific and Practical Centre of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus for Potato, Fruit and Vegetable Growing, researchers have been developing varieties with naturally coloured flesh for several years. The pigmentation is achieved without genetic modification, relying instead on high levels of anthocyanins and carotenoids, which give the tubers red, blue, or purple hues.

According to experts, the breeding process begins with carefully selected parent forms, including wild species, which are used to obtain offspring with varying colour intensity. Traditional selection methods remain central to developing stable and high-quality hybrids.

More than 200 types of coloured potatoes exist in nature, and breeders combine wild species with cultivated forms to develop improved hybrids.

The research centre has already produced around 100 domestic hybrids that match international standards in both appearance and agronomic traits. The coloured potatoes can be boiled, baked or fried, with specialists recommending shorter cooking times to preserve their vivid pigmentation and natural taste.