Early generation selection within a diploid hybrid solanum tuberosum groups phureja and stenotomum population for the intense yellow-flesh creamer potato market

Authors: Haynes, Kathleen; ZOTARELLI, LINCOLN - University Of Florida; CHRISTENSEN, CHRISTIAN - University Of Florida; WALKER, STEPHANIE - New Mexico State University

Submitted to: HortScience
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/11/2019
Publication Date: 12/1/2019
Citation: Haynes, K.G., Zotarelli, L., Christensen, C., Walker, S. 2019. Early generation selection within a diploid hybrid solanum tuberosum groups phureja and stenotomum population for the intense yellow-flesh creamer potato market. HortScience. 54(12):2118–2124. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI13576-18.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI13576-18

Interpretive Summary: Consumer demand for specialty market potatoes has been growing. Cultivated South American potatoes possess great variation for skin and flesh colors, shape, and taste but are not well adapted for United States production environments. South American potatoes with intense yellow-flesh are known as 'papa criolla' and may be fried or roasted and eaten whole. A United States northern location (Maine), representative of a potato seed growing region, and two southern locations (Florida and New Mexico), representative of potato growing regions for culinary production near large Hispanic populations, evaluated papa criolla - type selections for several traits associated with consumer acceptance, such as tuber skin color, shape, flesh color, eye depth and resistance to sprouting. Skin colors were varied and included tan, yellow, orange, pink, red, purple and bi-colors (mixtures of yellow and red or tan and pink). Yellow-flesh intensity ranged from cream to dark yellow, almost orange. Eye depth ranged from shallow to deep. Tuber resistance to sprouting was generally short, but a few longer dormant clones were identified. There were significant differences among selections for yields, with the highest yields occurring in Maine. This research will facilitate potato breeders working to develop new specialty potato varieties.

Technical Abstract: Consumer demand for specialty market potatoes has been growing. Cultivated South American diploid potatoes possess great variation for skin and flesh colors, shape, and taste. A long-day adapted population of Solanum tuberosum Groups Phureja and Stenotomum was evaluated for characteristics associated with the type known as papa criolla in South America. Papa criollas have intense yellow-flesh and may be fried or roasted and eaten whole. A United States northern location (Maine), representative of a seed growing region, and two southern locations (Florida and New Mexico), representative of potato growing regions near large Hispanic populations, evaluated clones selected within a population of papa criolla types. Agreement between selectors at two locations was greater than 50%. Tuber skin color and shape were highly correlated between locations; flesh color and tuber dormancy moderately so; eye depth had low correlation between locations; and, appearance and skin texture low or no correlation between locations. Tuber dormancy was generally short, but a few longer dormant clones were identified. There were significant differences among clones for yields, with the highest yields occurring in Maine. More intense evaluations are planned for a subset of these clones prior to possible release as new varieties. Future breeding efforts will be undertaken to lengthen tuber dormancy in this population.