Argentine researchers have achieved a significant advance in the field of agricultural biotechnology. A team from the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) and the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET) has developed new commercial lines of the Kennebec potato cultivar with dual genetic resistance to two of the most damaging viruses for this crop: potato virus Y (PVY) and potato leafroll virus (PLRV). These pathogens, primarily transmitted by aphids, pose a serious threat to potato production, both in Argentina and globally. PVY can cause total yield losses of up to 49% and a 65% decrease in marketable volume. PLRV, on the other hand, can reduce yield by up to 60% and affect 88% of tubers intended for sale when infection occurs in the seed. The combined effect of both viruses can generate losses reaching 80% of production, severely compromising the quality and profitability of the crop. The development of these transgenic varieties was carried ...