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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Madison, Wisconsin » Vegetable Crops Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #351753
Research Project: Management of Genetic Resources and Associated Information in the U. S. Potato Genebank

Location: Vegetable Crops Research

Title: Promoting sustainable potato agriculture in the Andean region by supplemental calcium nutrition and breeding for frost tolerance

Author
item DEL RIO, ALFONSO - University Of Wisconsin
item Bamberg, John
item PALTA, JIWAN - University Of Wisconsin
item GOMEZ, RENE - International Potato Center
item ARCOS, JESUS - Instituto Nacional De Innovacion Agraria (INIA)
item ROCA, WILLY - International Potato Center
item SALAS, ALBERTO - International Potato Center
item ELLIS, DAVID - International Potato Center
item ARGUMEDO, ALEJANDRO - Association Andes

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/20/2018
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Collaborative research in Peru sought to promote sustainable potato production and, mitigate adverse impacts of climate change through two approaches: first calcium amendments to increase crop yield and, second to enhance frost tolerance in native potatoes. All the multi-year, multi-location experiments and field trials were conducted in the Andean and Altiplano regions of Peru. The results showed that gypsum (calcium sulphate), a very affordable and locally available source of calcium, had positive effects on yield and tuber size. Crop yield was significantly increased in about 30% of the more than 1200 native cultivars assessed; gains in yield varied by cultivar ranging from 10 to 100% over the controls. The breeding effort for enhancing frost tolerance started at the US Potato Genebank. This aimed to introgress extreme frost tolerance and acclimation capacity from wild potato species S. commersonnii (cmm) into Peruvian native landraces. Seeds of the seven breeding families generated were sent to Peru where, after multi-year and multi-location selections, evaluations and field tests, a number of promising genotypes were identified. They exhibited not only a good level of frost tolerance but also equal or better yield when compared to local cultivars. A couple of elite selections with good hardiness, attractive tuber shape and productivity are now in process of being released as new varieties by the Peruvian National program (INIA) in Puno. Likewise, INIA-Cusco has used these selections as parental lines to successfully introduce frost tolerance to their own potato breeding materials.