Chapter 1. Introduction

Potato is an important crop for food security. However, it is very vulnerable to diseases and pests and these are partly seed-borne and therefore transmitted from one generation to the next. Breeding is cumbersome while multiplication is slow. These issues can be solved by a new technology: hybrid breeding based on true potato seed. This book gives an overview of relevant developments in creating new opportunities making use of this technology. This introductory chapter describes the aims of the book, provides a main agenda for debate on this new technology and outlines the structure of the book and briefly indicates the contents of its chapters.