Effect of Organic Potato Farming on Human and Environmental Health and Benefits from New Plant Breeding Techniques
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sustainability Review Effect of Organic Potato Farming on Human and Environmental Health and Benefits from New Plant Breeding Techniques. Is It Only a Matter of Public Acceptance? Daniela Pacifico * and Roberta Paris Council for Agricultural Research and Economics Analysis (CREA), Centre for Research on Industrial Crops, Via di Corticella, 133, 40128 Bologna, Italy; [email protected] * Correspondence: daniela.pacifi[email protected]; Tel.: +39-051-631-6811 Academic Editor: Gerhart U. Ryffel Received: 26 July 2016; Accepted: 13 October 2016; Published: 20 October 2016 Abstract: Organic farming practices are commonly thought to reduce the environmental impact of agriculture and to preserve the naturalness of the products. Herein, we report the effect of crop management practices on nutritional and toxicological value of potato tubers. Comparative studies are often controversial and the results are dependent on genotype and methodological approach. Targeted analysis and “omics” strategies are discussed, pointing at the nutritional aspects and the corresponding biological and molecular processes involved. Organic farming supporters still do not accept the use of genetic modification to produce new varieties suited for organic agriculture and crop improvement by genetic engineering still sparks hot debate among various scientific and social factions whose major concern is the possible existence of unintended effects both on human and world health. In this context, the advent of “new plant breeding techniques” has reignited the discussion on genetic engineering and on the compatibility of the new technologies with an eco-friendly agriculture. Could cisgenic and genome-edited potatoes be new good options for organic agriculture? We discuss how these approaches can be used to address food security challenges and to overcome specific problems based on the biological characteristics of potato tubers, producing new varieties that can improve farmers’ profit with a lower impact on public opinion. However, political, ethical, and social fears will probably persist much longer, mainly in Italy, historically a fiercely anti-GM country with a European leadership in organic food production and export. Keywords: genetic modification; conventional farming system; sustainable production; potato breeding; food security 1. Organic Potatoes Production Requires Breeding Potato (Solanum tuberosum) is the third most important food crop worldwide after rice and wheat, with a total production of over 300 million metric tons, as stated by the International Potato Center (CIP), Lima, Perù [1]. Average potato yield has been erratic across the world during the past decade, ranging between 16.3 to 19.4 t/ha from 2000 to 2011, though showing an overall slight increase (FAOSTAT, 2011 [2]). China and India are the largest potato producers: 88.35 and 42.33 MT, respectively. Over the last decade, changing food lifestyles reflected the consumers’ growing interest in organic food, generally perceived as healthier and safer for humans and environment. Organic food is in fact produced from raw material obtained by agricultural farming systems (organic farming) relying on ecological processes, biodiversity, and cycles adapted to local conditions—rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects—sustaining the health of soils, ecosystems, and people. Its diffusion has largely increased across the entire world, assuming a relevant economic impact, with social and political Sustainability 2016, 8, 1054; doi:10.3390/su8101054 www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability Sustainability 2016, 8, 1054 2 of 16 Sustainability 2016, 8, 1054 2 of 17 use of inputs with adverse effects—sustaining the health of soils, ecosystems, and people. Its diffusion has largely increased across the entire world, assuming a relevant economic impact, with socialimplications, and political implemented implications, also by theimplemented European agricultural also by the policies European (2009/128/CE agricultural Directive, policies [3]). (2009/128/CEIn the world, Directive, Australia [3]). stands In asthe the world, largest Australia area dedicated stands as to the organic largest farming area dedicated while Italy to ranksorganic at farmingsixth place, while with Italy a production ranks at sixth of 1.3place, MH with (data a endproduction of 2011 of [4], 1.3 Figure MH 1(data). end of 2011 [4], Figure 1). FigureFigure 1. The 1010 countriescountrieswith with the the largest largest areas areas (Million (Millio hectares)n hectares) of organicof organic agricultural agricultural land land in 2011 in 2011Source: Source: FIBL-IFOAM FIBL-IFOAM survey survey 2012 2012 [4]. [4]. TheThe 8.7% 8.7% of of total total Italian Italian agricultural agricultural land land is is dedicated dedicated to to organic organic farming farming (Fibl-IFOAM (Fibl-IFOAM Survey Survey 2012),2012), and thethe salessales of of organic organic food food products products increased increased of 20%of 20% in 2015 in 2015 (Coldiretti (Coldiretti [5], the [5], major the Italianmajor Italianfarmers farmers union). union). The main The features main features of organic of farmingorganic arefarming claimed are to claimed be sustainability, to be sustainability, low-impact low-impactcropping methods, cropping use methods, of non-chemical use of non-chemic fertilizers,al and fertilizers, high-quality and production;high-quality nevertheless,production; nevertheless,an objective and an exhaustiveobjective and assessment exhaustive on assessm the supposedent on higher the supposed nutritional higher value nutritional of organic foodvalue and of organicon the benefits food and on consumers’on the benefits health on is consumers’ still missing. health Generally, is still organic missing. food Generally, presents lowerorganic nitrates food presentsand higher lower content nitrates in vitamin and higher C, but content this is notin vitamin true for C, all but species; this is spinach, not true for for example, all species; accumulates spinach, formore example, nitrates accumulates under organic more farming nitrates than under other orga farmingnic farming systems than [other6–8]. farming A literature-based systems [6–8]. study A literature-basedincluding potato study [7] revealed including that organicpotato vegetables[7] revealed are that not significantlyorganic vegetables better than are conventionalnot significantly ones betterand, in than addition, conventional experimental ones and, findings in addition, are often ex contradictoryperimental findings due to theare influenceoften contradictory of environmental due to thefactors influence and largeof environmental genetic diversity factors among and large potato genetic varieties diversity tested. among Up potato to date, varieties only few tested. studies Up tofocused date, only on organic few studies potatoes focused and on most organic of them potato investigatedes and most target of them beneficial investigated (vitamin target C, flavonoids, beneficial (vitaminvitamin B1,C, phenolics)flavonoids, and vitamin harmful B1, compounds phenolics) (heavy and metals,harmful glycoalkaloids, compounds nitrates,(heavy residuesmetals, glycoalkaloids,of pesticides), organolepticnitrates, residues properties, of pesticides), and agronomic organoleptic parameters properties, (yield, and tuberagronomic size, germinationparameters (yield,of tubers, tuber starch size, content).germination Surprisingly, of tubers, astarch high content). vitamin CSurprisingly, content, typical a high of vitamin most organic C content, food, typicalis not alwaysof most confirmed organic food, in organic is not tubers always [7 ,9confirmed–12] that, indeed,in organi frequentlyc tubers [7,9–12] show high that, content indeed, of frequentlyvitamin B1 show [11]. Organic high content restrictions of vitamin on fertilization B1 [11] causes. Organic a reduced restrictions nitrogen on availability,fertilization resulting causes ina reduceda lower Nnitrogen content availability,in organic tubers, resulting that in could a lower strongly N content influence in organic the vitamin tubers, C content, that could together strongly with influencethe concentration the vitamin of nitrate C content, and total together proteins with [6,7 the] and concentration the content and of compositionnitrate and total in free proteins amino acids.[6,7] andLysine, the thecontent most and abundant composition free amino in free acid amino in potato, acids. wasLysine, often the found most significantly abundant free higher amino in organicacid in potato,tubers [was10,13 often]. Protein found profiling significantly also changes,higher in with organic organic tubers tuber [10,13]. proteome Protein enriched profiling in also stress-related changes, withproteins organic [14], eventuber though proteome other enriched authors, in such stress-rel as Brazinskeneated proteins et al. [ 15[14],], are even not inthough agreement other with authors, these suchfindings. as Brazinskene As reported et by al. Brandt [15], are et al.not [ 16in ],agreemen the plantst with managed these by findings. organic As practices reported have by necessarilyBrandt et al. to [16],cope the more plants frequently managed with pathogens,by organic andpractices accordingly have accumulatenecessarily moreto cope defense-related more frequently compounds with pathogens,(such as phenylpropanoids and accordingly [9,10 ,12accumulate,17]) than conventionallymore defense-related produced tubers.compounds Some phenolics(such areas phenylpropanoidsassociated with health-promoting [9,10,12,17]) than effects, conventionally