Collecting wild potatoes was one of the most equally terrifying and exhilarating experiences of my life. The International Potato Center invited me to go on a wild potato germplasm collection expedition in the Cusco region. This is a technical way of saying we drove around looking for wild plants related to potatoes. We then collected specimens for herbarium pressings and seeds and tubers for long-term storage at the gene bank in Lima.
There are over 150 known species of wild potatoes that naturally occur throughout the Americas. Wild species are found from the southwestern United States to southern Chile, with most species concentrated in Peru and Bolivia. They grow in diverse soils and climates, from the dry
desert along the Peruvian coast, to the inter-Andean valleys, up to altitudes of 4,700 masl.
Climate change and habitat loss threaten wild potato species. Conservation of wild potatoes in their natural habitats (in situ) and off-site (ex situ) is imperative as it will increase access to resources and use in the development of resiliency strategies at local, national, and global levels.
I had always dreamed of going on a formal botanical collecting expedition. There are few things better than when research collides with adventure. For five days, I traveled with the senior genebank curator René Gomez and other scientists to grassy valleys, rocky mountain peaks, cloud forests, overgrown graveyards, urbanizing villages, architectural ruins, and agricultural fields to hunt for a handful of wild potato species.
Our daily itinerary was: wake up at sunrise, drive several hours, eat lunch, collect for thirty minutes to two hours, drive again for several hours, eat dinner, and go to bed. I don’t get carsick, but I am not fond of driving on windy mountain roads with sheer cliffs and no guard rails. We spent the majority of the expedition driving on these types of roads.
One day we traveled to Manú National Park to look for a species known to occur in the cloud forest. As we descended from the Andes towards the Amazon, we got to experience the variety of microclimates that verticality offers. The air gradually became warmer and more humid. As we approached the cloud forest, it started to rain heavily. The paved roads turned to gravel switchbacks with nothing on ledges to keep vehicles from tumbling into the ravine 200 meters below.
One turn made me so anxious that I nearly passed out. I saw a waterfall pouring down the rock cliff and over the side of the road. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes as we passed what looked like a landslide forming.
Fifteen to twenty minutes down the road, the gene bank curator spotted a wild potato. We all hopped out and started looking for additional specimens with flowers and fruits that we could harvest.
The same part of the road that was petrifying to cross got completely washed out on our way back. Cars and vans started to cue up on each side. Each driver had a pickaxe (I guess this happens often) to clear away the rocks and debris. I stood on the sidelines in shock. It was still pouring rain, and now rocks were also starting to fall from above. I couldn’t discern if I was going to get washed away too.
Eventually, everyone cleared the road enough for the vehicles to pass. We were able to continue back towards Cusco. We drove on similar mountainous switchbacks for the remainder of the trip, but luckily there was no rain.
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