Potato Breeding and Genetics Research Program

The Potato Breeding and Genetics Program is housed at the Vernon G. James Research and Extension Center in Plymouth NC. Our project leader, Dr. Craig Yencho, is located on NC State’s main campus, where he also heads the Sweetpotato Breeding and Genetics Program. In Plymouth, our program activities are led by Mr. Mark Clough.

The program’s goal is to develop and screen new varieties, advanced clones, and germplasm and to select materials better suited for North Carolina and the Southeastern US. We are working toward this goal through collaborations with the USDA-ARS, Cornell University, and the University of Maine, as well as other breeding programs across the US.

Dr. Craig Yencho receives 2024 O. Max Gardner Award

Dr. Craig Yencho, an NC State University professor whose research has influenced sweetpotato cultivation across the world, has been named the recipient of the 2024 Oliver Max Gardner Award.

A Patented Winner

The National Academy of Inventors named NC State University’s Craig Yencho a 2023 fellow for his contributions to improved sweetpotato and potato breeding and genetics, with an impact reaching from North Carolina to Sub-Saharan Africa.

Craig Yencho and Ken Pecota Receive Innovator of the Year Award

Dr. Craig Yencho and Ken Pecota of the Sweetpotato Breeding and Genetics Programs were both honored with the Innovator of the Year

Current Largest Research Projects

Early generation selection of materials in collaboration with the University of Maine, Cornell University and the USDA-ARS
A national collaboration to screen material to evaluate the performance of chipping lines for adaptation to the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions
Use of marker-assisted screening for resistance to Golden nematode and potato virus Y
A focused effort to develop and introduce specialty-type potatoes that may potentially bring elevated prices for small niche markets