'World’s largest potato' under scrutiny as super spud set for DNA testing

Dug the Potato, as it has been named, weighs 7.9kg and was found on a small farm near Hamilton, New Zealand.

Colin and Donna Craig-Brown were cleaning their vegetable garden in late August when they found the potato.

Currently, the Guinness World Record holder for the largest potato is 4.99kg for a spud found in Nottinghamshire.

“I said to Donna, ‘should we go for the Guinness World Record?’,” Colin told Stuff. “Can you really be bothered?” she replied.

After having read the 128-page application guide on the Guinness World Records website, the couple completed various steps such as filling in the online application form, and supplying video evidence of the potato on a certified weighing scale.

They also had to obtain verification by an agronomist to confirm that Dug is in fact a potato.

Now, however, the Guinness World Records has asked for further proof, hence why the Craig-Browns are sending the potato for DNA testing.

“Do they think I genetically modified it?” Colin said.

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

“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.”

In the meantime, the couple are waiting to hear from the Guinness World Records to find out if their potato is, in fact, a confirmed record-breaker.

However, since sending the sample off, the potato has started to look a little worse for wear.

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

“He still looks the same, he’s just got lighter.”