“Doug”, The World’s Largest Potato Is Sent For DNA Testing In Scotland

The world’s largest potato is scheduled to undergo DNA testing in Scotland. 

A piece of “Doug”, as it has been adorably named, has been sent off to the genetic-testing site to see if it qualifies for the official Guinness World Record. 

The root vegetable weighs a whopping 7.9kg, about the same weight as a standard microwave, and was discovered on a farm near Hamilton, New Zealand.

Married couple Colin and Donna Craig-Brown were organising their vegetable garden in August when they came across the beastly plant. 

At the moment, the Guinness World Record holder for the largest potato was found in Nottinghamshire and weighs 4.99kg, which is around the same weight as a standard male cat. 

Colin told Stuff in an interview about their debate into entering the world record competition: “I said to Donna, ‘should we really go for the Guinness World Record?’, to which his partner said to him, “Can you really be bothered?”

Despite the lengthy 128-page application for the recorder-holder competition, the couple decided to proceed with the process. 

The pair have submitted the application form and video evidence of “Doug” on a weighing scale, as well as verification from a soil and crop expert to confirm that “Doug” is definitely a potato. 

The next step in the process is for “Doug” to be sent for DNA testing, in order for the potato to be in the running of the Guinness World Record.

Colin said of the lengthy application: “Do they think I genetically modified it?” 

“It makes me feel s***, it’s been a roller-coaster of emotion,” he continued.

“While it’s extremely deflating, I want to prove them wrong. We will do everything they ask of us… so at the end of the day, they can say yes or no.”

Although, since sending the sample off to the lab, their beloved “Doug” hasn’t been in the best shape.

Colin said: “He was getting smaller and smaller every day. He was losing juices through his stab wounds where he was impaled by the garden fork.”

Thankfully, the potato still looks just as weird and wonderful as he did before, “he’s just got lighter.”