‘World’s largest potato’ ruled to be a gourd following test by Guinness World Records

What was thought to be the world’s biggest potato has been ruled as being a gourd following a DNA test in Scotland.

The oversized fruit – named Dug – was found in August in a garden in Hamilton, New Zealand, and weighed in at 7.9kg.

Colin and Donna Craig-Brown, who made the discovery when cleaning their vegetable garden, sent in a DNA sample to the Guinness World Records to see if their “potato” was the world’s heaviest.

However, an email from Guinness World Records on Sunday stated that the Science & Advice for Scottish Agriculture/SASA found the DNA sample taken showed the specimen was not a potato, but was actually a gourd.

Dug’s owner in New Zealand admitted to being “disappointed” that his record-breaking dreams have been crushed but says it has not deterred him from “growing the biggest potato in the world”.

Colin told Stuff: “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.

“I’m trying to rationalise how this has happened.

“Someone has snatched Dug’s title away from him and this is the only real sensible conclusion I can come to. I can think of no other real legitimate way of it getting there.

“The mysterious part is why did it grow so big? And why does it taste and look like a potato?

“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.

“I could have been awarded a world record for something that wasn’t.

“We had a rummage around in the garden yesterday seeing if we could find another one – maybe a cousin, or brother of Dug.

“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.”

A gourd is large fruit often found with a hard shell and cannot usually be eaten.