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Nature 410, 1011 (26 April 2001) | doi:10.1038/35074247

Russia needs help to fend off potato famine, researchers warn

Quirin Schiermeier

Aggressive strains of potato blight could trigger a potentially catastrophic potato famine in Russia, scientists have warned.The researchers want an international effort to provide Russian potato-growers with fungicides and seed varieties that are resistant to virulent late blight pathogens, which last year destroyed more than 15% of the country's total crop.