“If it quacks like a duck, swims like a duck and has feathers on it, then it must be a duck. But nah – this one turned out to be a turkey.”
Colin and Donna Craig-Brown, the crop parents of Dug the Spud, were disappointed to hear back from Guinness World Records that their “potato” was not a real potato.
“The mysterious part is why did it grow so big? And why does it taste and look like a potato?” Colin said.
An email from Guinness World Records stated that the Science & Advice for Scottish Agriculture/SASA found the DNA sample taken from Dug the Spud showed that the specimen was not a potato. Instead, it is a 7.9 kg tuber that is a type of gourd and because of that, Craig-Brown’s application for the world record was disqualified.
“I’m disappointed, but he’s still ‘Dug - not the biggest potato’. It's been a real roller-coaster of potato-rama. We hopped on the roller-coaster eyes wide open and enjoyed the ride and this was the last real twist,” Colin told Stuff.
Colin’s hopes were not crushed completely — he was inspired to cultivate his potato using scientific knowledge and shoot his shot on growing the biggest potato in the world.
“It’s inspired me to grow my potato and really get stuck in. Draw on all the knowledge and scientific know-how that I've accumulated through the process with all the experts. I’m really gonna give it my all and have a go at growing the biggest potato in the world.”