Quantum Tubers Corporation, Delavan, Wisconsin has announced plans to build the world’s largest biomanufacturing facility for production of zero-generation, pathogen-free seed potatoes known as minitubers. This controlled access facility, being built in Wisconsin (USA), will produce more than 20,000,000 minitubers each year under a proprietary, controlled-environment system developed by the company in conjunction with NASA.

The Quantum Tubers technology is revolutionary in its ability to provide, for the first time, immense quantities of disease-free seed stocks in a fraction of the normal time. These commercial quantities of minitubers eliminate at least 5 years from any current production method. This technology fundamentally changes the economics of potato production by providing greater quantities of early generation seed stocks anywhere in the world and at a dramatically lower price. The facility is also designed to produce pharmaceutical-grade seed materials for the developing edible plant vaccine industry. Genetic modification is not necessary for this production system.

The unique biotechnology process was developed through the coordinated efforts of Quantum Tubers Corporation, the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Plant Pathology Department, and the NASA Space Research Center at the University of Wisconsin (WCSAR), the UW-Biotron, and the UW Hancock Research Center at Hancock, WI. It is the culmination of nearly 10 years of dedicated research in Wisconsin and has resulted in a successful commercial business for the Company.