ARS | Publication request: A Study of Specialty Clones’ Yield Performance in Early and Late Harvests

Submitted to: Potato Progress
Publication Type: Popular Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: June 20, 2009
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Technical Abstract: A study was conducted on specialty potato breeding lines to examine yield components in an early and late harvest. Upon first examination it was apparent that the early water cutoff had a large effect on total yield. In the early trial only one clone achieved 600 cwt/A of total yield and all the rest were at 400 cwt or lower. In the late harvest two clones stood at 600 cwt, four at 500 cwt, and two at 450 cwt. All of these clones expanded their “under 4 oz.” size category comparing early to late water cutoff, i.e., more time meant more new tubers inititated. For example, although POR06PG57-4 was the top clone as far as total yield, it expanded its “under 4 oz.” and “4 to 6 oz.” size yield from 125 to 250 cwt/A. The clone POR06PG48-2 doubled its total yield with the extended availability of water. Likewise, clone POR06PG48-1 more than doubled its total yield from 200 to 525 cwt/A. The clones POR05PG10-1 and POR06PG24-1, originally selected for a production of the smallest size category, increased their “under 4 oz.” yield from approximately 100 to 200 cwt/A. The responses from these four clones illustrate a point about genotypes that differ in their performance under an early harvest and later harvest scheme. It is possible to push the small-tuber-size genotypes to substantially increase their small size yield with extra time and water. The genotypes that are high yielding with representation in all size categories, e.g., “57-4” and “48-2,” in contrast, expanded total yield while expanding other size categories dramatically. These clones may in the end be more profitable for the grower because there is saleable product that is suitable for multiple market niches.