Seed Potato Production
Alex McDonalds and its contracted growers maintain over 100 varieties either in production or in field trials in the Canterbury region.
From Stage 0, the tubers of plantlets planted in green houses at Lincoln, are harvested and cool-stored for the first field multiplication (Generation 1) by Alex McDonalds, in isolated areas at higher altitudes. Generations 2 and 3 are also multiplied by Alex McDonalds in these isolated areas. Generations 4-6 are produced by the company's contracted seed growers.
During all field multiplications, the growing crops are constantly rogued for disease, foreign varieties etc, and at the same time, the crops undergo extensive virus leaf testing to ensure no virus exists in our seed lines.
Greenhouse multiplication
Field multiplication Generations 1-3
Field multiplication Generations 4-6