Can collecting TPS from your own plants be dangerous?

svalli · August 14, 2009

I need help to find out, if this is a myth or has some truth in it. Someone in a Finnish gardening site is warning people about collecting seeds from potato berries and growing them. She insists that potatoes grown from TPS will be bitter and may contain dangerous levels of solanine.

Is there any truth behind this claim? I know that most of the potatoes grown from collected TPS will be different than the original and still OK to eat, but can there be offspring which has higher levels of solanine in the tubers than the 'mother' plant had.

Sari

August 14, 2009	#1
svalli Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Vaasa, Finland, latitude N 63° Posts: 838	Can collecting TPS from your own plants be dangerous? I need help to find out, if this is a myth or has some truth in it. Someone in a Finnish gardening site is warning people about collecting seeds from potato berries and growing them. She insists that potatoes grown from TPS will be bitter and may contain dangerous levels of solanine. Is there any truth behind this claim? I know that most of the potatoes grown from collected TPS will be different than the original and still OK to eat, but can there be offspring which has higher levels of solanine in the tubers than the 'mother' plant had. Sari __________________ "I only want to live in peace, plant potatoes and dream." - Moomin-troll by Tove Jansson