Variance components for yield and specific gravity in a diploid potato population after two cycles of recurrent selection

The potato(Solanum tuberosum L.) processing industry needs cultivars with high tuber specific gravity and acceptable color of processed product. All of the cultivars with high specific gravity currently grown in the U.S. are very closely related, which increases their genetic vulnerability and results in inbreeding as efforts are made to improve these traits. The use of diploidSolanum sp. in breeding may resolve these problems. The purposes of this study were (1) to estimate narrow-sense heritability for yield and specific gravity in random-mating diploid hybrid potato populations ofS. phureja - S. stenotomum (PHU-STN) following two cycles of recurrent selection, (2) to examine phenotypic variances for yield and specific gravity following two cycles of recurrent selection within PHU-STN, (3) to compare the yield and specific gravity of individual PHU-STN clones with Atlantic, and (4) to screen these PHU-STN clones for the presence of 2n pollen. Four clones from each of 72 maternal half-sib families were evaluated for yield and specific gravity in replicated field tests in 1990 and 1991. A second selection cycle, using a randomly mated population obtained from the highest specific gravity clone in each maternal half-sib family, was similarly evaluated for yield and specific gravity in replicated field tests in 1995 and 1996. Narrow-sense heritability for specific gravity was estimated as 0.37 ± 0.25 and 0.43 ± 0.27, in the first and second selection cycles, respectively, with a 27% decrease in phenotypic variance. Narrow-sense heritability for yield was estimated as 0.60 ± 0.26 and 0.06 ± 0.24, in the first and second selection cycles, respectively, with a 73% decrease in phenotypic variance. There were significant correlations between yield and specific gravity in 1990 (r=0.32) and 1996 (r=0.37), but not 1991 (r=0.08) and 1995 (r=0.05). These results indicate that additional breeding efforts in this PHU-STN population could result in improvements in specific gravity. However, the amount of variation for yield in this population is decreasing and may indicate that the yield potential of this population is rapidly approaching its limit. In the second selection cycle, many of the 288 clones were significantly higher in specific gravity than the high-specific-gravity cultivar Atlantic, but none were higher yielding. Fifty-eight clones from the second selection cycle produced at least 5% 2n pollen. When used in tetraploid x diploid hybridizations, this diploid population could furnish new genetic material to the tetraploid potato germplasm base for simultaneously increasing specific gravity and yield.     

Evaluation of potato clones for severity of Verticillium wilt, yield and specific gravity in Maine

In 1994 and 1995, the effect of Verticillium wilt, caused byVerticillium dahliae andV. albo-atrum, on tuber yields, number and weight of U.S. No. 1 and B size tubers, and specific gravity was studied in northern Maine, an area with a short growing season. Seven clones (four resistant and three susceptible) were evaluated in a split-plot design with three replications. Clones were the whole-plot factor, and seed pieces in sub-plots were either uninoculated or inoculated with 50 ml of 4 × 10⁴ cfu/mlVerticillium spp. at planting. Individual plants were scored for Verticillium wilt symptoms before harvest on a 1= <3% wilt to 10= >97% wilt. Differences among clones for wilting and specific gravity were significant. The inoculation treatment had no effect on any of the tuber traits measured. However, there were significant clone x inoculation interactions for most tuber traits. Reductions in yield, weight and number of U.S. No. 1 potatoes, and specific gravity were greater in the Verticillium wilt susceptible clones than in the resistant clones. These results suggest that breeding clones with resistance toVerticillium spp. will reduce yield losses, while maintaining tuber size and specific gravity under disease pressure.     

Response of two potato clones (S. tuberosum L.) to contrasting temperature regimes in the field

Two potato clones (S. tuberosum L.) were grown in the field under contrasting temperature regimes during the crop cycle. Differential growth and yield was observed in the clones studied. Differences in yield were due to the decreased proportion of tubers larger than 3.5 cm in length as well as to the differences in dry weight and percent of dry matter in tubers. Yield reductions per plant were 52 and 94% for Alfa and Herta, respectively, in the warmer regime compared with the cooler regime. Apparent photosynthesis rates measured in Herta were maximum (45 umol.m^?2.s^?1) during tuber filling. Stomatal resistance and apparent photosynthesis rate were reduced by high temperature, indicating mesophyllic inhibition of photosynthesis. Dark respiration was promoted by moderately high temperature and differed significantly between clones, with Herta showing the higher rates.     

Tolerance to potato leafhopper inSolanum tuberosum L. gp. Tuberosum clones

We identified clones inSolanum tuberosum L. gp. Tuberosum breeding populations that, although susceptible to infestation by potato leafhopper,Empoasca fabae (Harris), exhibited a tolerance which was manifested by the ability to produce higher than expected tuber yields when heavily infested with leafhoppers. Such tolerance was noted in a number of clones in varying degrees, but one, B6930-1, was exceptional. It sustained only a 19% loss in tuber yield compared to ‘Katahdin,’ a susceptible cultivar, that averaged 33% lower tuber yields under similar infestation levels. We studied the seasonal growth patterns of this clone and compared them to those of Katahdin, and B6705-10, a breeding clone with known resistance to leafhopper infestation. We found that much of B6930-l’s tolerance results from its early, vigorous vine growth and its early and rapid rate of tuber bulking, enabling this clone to escape some of the effects of leafhopper feeding, whereas Katahdin was usually just beginning to tuberize at the height of leafhopper infestation.     

Tuber yields and specific gravities inSolanum tuberosum populations recurrently selected for resistance to potato leafhopper

Solanum tuberosum genotypes from the 3rd, 5th, and 7th generations of recurrent selection for resistance to potato leafhopper were compared with genotypes from the base, unselected population for tuber yield and specific gravity over a five year period. Mean tuber yields of the genotypes in the 3rd and 5th generations were equal to the yield of those in the base population. The mean tuber yield in the 7th generation was significantly lower than the mean in the base population and the means in the other selection generations. However, the mean tuber specific gravities of the 5th and 7th generation genotypes were slightly higher than the mean in the base population. The variability of tuber yield among genotypes in the 7th selection generation was lower than the variability in the base population and in the 3rd and 5th selection generations. It was concluded that there was moderate genetic potential for selecting genotypes with resistance to potato leafhopper that had acceptable tuber yields in the 3rd and 5th selection generations, but by the 7th generation the potential was considerably lower. The genetic potential for selecting resistant genotypes with acceptable tuber specific gravities remained about the same in each of the selection generations.     

Tuber quality and soft rot resistance of hybrids betweenSolarium tuberosum and the incongruent wild relativeS. commersonii

Tetraploid BC₃ hybrids between sexually incompatible speciesSolanum commersonii andS. tuberosum were characterized for tuber quality (stolon length, tuber eye depth, chipping color from 3-month storage at 5 C, and specific gravity) and soft rot resistance traits. For all analysed morphological traits, except stolon length, genotypes resembled theS. tuberosum phenotype. On average, the specific gravity of selected genotypes was quite high (1.087), and 12 of them had a value >1.090. As for chipprocessing ability, 4.8% of genotypes chipped well directly from cold storage, and 14.3% after reconditioning. All but one of these genotypes also possessed a high specific gravity of tubers. Variability was found for resistance toErwinia carotovora subsp.carotovora. In particular, 24% of hybrids had a rotted area diameter ≤ 4 mm and were classified as resistant. The average percentage ofcommersonii-specific markers still present in the BC₃ hybrids was 22%, ranging from 9% to 37%. Genotypes combining good qualitative tuber traits with a wild genome content lower than the average value of the population were selected for further breeding efforts. The importance of molecular-assisted selection is discussed.     

Susceptibility of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) foliage and tubers to the US8 genotype ofPhytophthora infestans

Late blight is an important disease of potato(Solanum tuberosum L.) worldwide, and therefore, many potato-breeding programs have prioritized the development of late blight-resistant potato cultivars. Although the emphasis has been to enhance foliar resistance, it is also necessary to evaluate tuber late blight resistance in new breeding lines and new sources of late blight resistance. We report here on the assessment of foliar and tuber resistance and the correlation between these aspects of resistance in a sample of Michigan State University potato breeding lines. Two MSU breeding lines had significantly less infected foliage than the susceptible check cultivars. Tuber susceptibility was significantly different (P < 0.05) only between the most susceptible and the least susceptible breeding lines/cultivars. Foliar and tuber susceptibility to potato late blight were not correlated as low tuber susceptibility was associated both with extremely low (e.g., MSG274-3) and high (e.g., MSE202-3Rus) foliar susceptibility.     

Segregation of leptines and other glycoalkaloids inSolanum tuberosum (4x) ×S. chacoense (4x) crosses

A clone, 8380-1, selected fromSolanum chacoense (PI 458310) for its high foliage content of the leptine glycoalkaloids, a factor in resistance to Colorado potato beetle, was doubled in chromosome number from 2n=2x=24 to 2n=4x=48. Three 4x clones were crossed with sixS. tuberosum (4x) clones. Foliage glycoalkaloid contents were measured for 452 F1 hybrids from 15 crosses. The 4xchacoense parental clones were not different in respect to glycoalkaloid contents and were similar to the original 2x clone. All F1 hybrids synthesized foliage leptines ranging from 9 to 369 mg/100 g fresh weight (fw) with a mean content of 113 mg/100 g fw. The proportion of leptines in the total glycoalkaloid content ranged from 1% to 62% with a mean of 25%. The 4xchacoense parent mean leptine content was 1482 mg/ 100 g fw which was 90% of the total glycoalkaloid content. Tubers from 136 hybrids and the threechacoense parental clones were tested for glycoalkaloid contents. The tuber solanine + chaconine contents of the 136 hybrids ranged from 30 to 180 mg/100 g fw with a mean of 79. The mean tuber content of the threechacoense parental clones was 157 mg/100 g fw. Leptines were not found in any of the tubers.     

Assessment of heat tolerance in potato (Solanum tuberosum ssp.tuberosum) under controlled environmental conditions: the ‘cutting technique’

Summary The ‘cutting technique’ or ‘tuberisation stimulus’ (TS) technique was investigated as a method of identifying heat tolerant clones ofSolanum tuberosum ssp.tuberosum. TS levels were assessed, using leaf cuttings, for 100 experimental clones growing under heat stress in a controlled environment (35/15°C day/night temperatures, 16 h photoperiod). No correlation was found with the tuber yields of these clones when grown in an irrigated trial in Israel. The relationship between TS levels and tuber production was investigated using early and later maturing cultivars grown with and without heat stress. These experiments showed that the cv. Blanka had high TS levels in all environments and high tuber fresh weights when grown under heat stress. However, the correlation between TS levels and tuber fresh weight for all cultivars was weak (r=0.45). The results indicated that this TS technique is unlikely to be an accurate method of screeningtuberosum clones for heat tolerance.     

Glycoalkaloid contents in tubers fromSolanum tuberosum populations selected for potato leafhopper resistance

Solanum tuberosum L. Gp. Tuberosum populations that had been improved for resistance to potato leafhopper,Empoasca fabae (Harris), by recurrent selection, were analyzed for tuber contents of the glycoalkaloids α-solanine and α-chaconine. The mean content of both glycoalkaloids was significantly higher in the more resistant populations compared with the unselected population. In a population generated from seven cycles of selection for resistance, the mean content of solanine + chaconine was 9.5 mg/100 g fresh weight compared with 4.0 mg/100 g in the original, unselected population; a 137% increase. Kennebec, in the same experiment, averaged 10.9 mg/100 g; Katahdin averaged 4.6 mg/100 g.     

Soft-rot resistance combined with other tuber characters in long day-adaptedSolanum phureja

Summary Offspring were produced from a cross between two long-day-adaptedSolanum phureja clones which carried resistance to tuber soft rot (Erwinia carotovora subsp.atroseptica). In tests carried out on the produce of field-grown plants raised from tubers, over fifty per cent of the 173 offspring were found to be highly resistant. Assessments were also carried out of tuber yield, mean tuber weight, tuber number, shape, regularity, flesh colour, texture of the steamed flesh, fry colour, after-cooking blackening, sprout length after storage and overall dormancy. There were statistically significant differences between clones for all characters (P<0.001). Twelve of the clones were selected on the basis of high resistance, yield, tuber weight, regularity of shape and absence of after-cooking blackening. The value of resistant long-day-adapted diploid material for commercial breeding is discussed.     

A plant growth promoting rhizobacterium and temperature effects on performance of 18 clones of potato

A survey of genotypic responses to beneficial bacterium (Pseudomonas sp. strain PsJN) was conductedin vitro andex vitro, under two temperature conditions, using eighteen clones of potato of different heat stress tolerance: temperate adapted cultivars Kennebec and Russet Burbank; heat tolerant DTO-2, DTO-28, DTO-33, LT-1, LT-2, LT-5, LT-6, LT-7, LT-8, LT-9, Y84-02, NDD277-2, Désirée, and Maine-47; and heat sensitive abscissic acid (ABA)-deficient mutants 11401-01 and 9120-05. Nodal explants taken from 6-week-old bacterized and non-bacterized control plantlets were culturedin vitro on a hormone-free potato nodal cutting medium, and placed at either 20/15 C or 33/25 C day/night temperature, 12h photoperiod and 250 µE m^?2 s^?1 mixture of fluorescent and incandescent light, for six weeks. The tuberization response was studiedex vitro after two weeks acclimation of 2-week old plantlets at 33/25C. The acclimated plantlets were transplanted to 3L plastic nursery pots containing peat-based Pro-Mix growing medium and placed in growth chambers at either 20/15 or 33/25 C day/night temperature, 12 h photoperiod, 475 μE m^?2 s^?1 light and ≈80% RH, for 12 weeks. Compared to the non-bacterized controls, bacterization significantly increased stem length of 12, shoot biomass of 9, and root biomass of 2 clones at 20/15C; and stem length of 14, shoot biomass of 15, and root biomass of 13 clones at 33/25C. High temperature increased length of internodes and had either no effect or slightly decreased node number. Temperature increase had the most dramatic effect on root development. An average shoot to root ratio decreased from 3.7 at 20/15 C to 1.7 at 33/25 C for non-bacterized plantlets and, respectively, from 4.3 to 1.5 for bacterized. The beneficial effect of bacterization on root biomass was the most pronounced in LT-1 and Maine-47 at 20/15 C and LT-8, Maine 47, DTO-2, Kennebec, NDD277-2 and 11401-01 at 33/25C. The temperature elevation did not significantly affect root biomass of LT-6, DTO-28 and Désirée. Temperature stress caused severe reduction in tuber number and tuber fresh weight. ABA-deficient mutants did not produce any tubers and LT-8, LT-9, Y84-027 and DTO-28 tuberized very poorly at 33/25C. DTO-33, Désirée, LT-1 and Kennebec gave the highest number of tubers per pot and Kennebec, LT-1, Désirée and LT-7 the highest yields at this temperature. There was no significant effect of bacterization on tuberization at 20/15 C but at 33/25 C bacterization significantly enhanced tuber number and weight in LT-7 and reduced tuber weight in DTO-2. Although there was no clear link between thein vitro response of particular clones to bacterization and their heat stress tolerance, improvement ofex vitro performance of heat tolerant LT-7 indicates that rhizosphere bacteria may play a role in clonal adaptation of potato to heat stress.     

Reaction ofSolanum tuberosum andSolanum species toMeloidogyne hapla

The reactions of 218 clones ofSolanum tuberosum and 238 accessions of 55 tuber-bearingSolanum species toMeloidogyne hapla were determined by planting them in soil naturally infested withM. hapla and the microsclerotial form ofVerticillium alboatrum. Degree of root galling was rated from none (0) to severe (5). Incidence of root galling on clones was slight as evidenced by ratings of 0, 0.5 and 1.0 for 38, 32 and 18 percent of them, respectively. As incidence of root galling increased there was a tendency for percentage of galled tubers and internal tuber infection byM. hapla to increase. Of many family progenies ofS. tuberosum tested, those from family B7147 (Penobscot x W39-1) were the most resistant toM. hapla. Incidence ofM. hapla root galls andVerticillium alboatrum wilt symptoms onS. tuberosum clones indicated there was no apparent interaction between these two pathogens. Eighty-one percent of the 238 accessions remained free from root galls.Solanum species free from root galls and represented by three or more accessions werebrachycarpum, bulbocastanum, cardiophyllum, hjertingii, hougasii, infundibuliforme, kurtzianum, martinasense, multidissectum, multiinterruptum, papita, sparsipilum, spegazzinii, stoloniferum, tarijense, andvernei. S. microdentum (PI320312) andS. tuberosum ssp.andigena (PI245926) had the most extensive root systems free ofM. hapla galls.     

Nitrogen fertilization and irrigation affects tuber characteristics of two potato cultivars

Nitrogen fertilization, irrigation, and cultivars affect tuber characteristics such as tuber size, specific gravity, and N concentration. Few studies, however, have investigated the interaction of irrigation and N fertilization on the tuber characteristics of potato cultivars, particularly in Atlantic Canada. The objective of this on-farm study, conducted at four sites in each of three years, 1995 to 1997, was to determine the effects of supplemental irrigation and six rates of N fertilization (0-250 kg N ha^-1) on the number of tubers per plant, the average fresh tuber weight, tuber N concentration, nitrate (NO₃-N) concentration, and specific gravity of the cultivars Shepody and Russet Burbank. Nitrogen fertilization increased the average fresh tuber weight, tuber N and N0₃-N concentrations, and decreased specific gravity. Effects of increasing N fertilization on tuber characteristics were often more pronounced for Shepody than for Russet Burbank, and for irrigated than for non-irrigated conditions. Shepody had greater average fresh tuber weight and tuber N concentration, lower specific gravity, and fewer tubers per plant than Russet Burbank. Supplemental irrigation increased the average fresh tuber weight and the number of tubers per plant, but it had a limited effect on specific gravity and tuber N and NO₃-N concentrations. Tuber NO₃-N con centration and specific gravity were strongly related to tuber N concentration, which in turn depended primarily on N fertilization. Incidents of lowest specific gravity and highest NO₃-N concentration occurred with a relative yield close to or equal to 1.0. We conclude that the risks of low specific gravity and high tuber NO₃-N concentration are greater when fertilization exceeds the N requirements to reach maximum tuber yield.     

Yield and combining abilities in Andigena potatoes after six cycles of recurrent phenotypic selection for adaptation to long day conditions

Changes in yielding ability were studied in a population of Andigena which had been subjected to six cycles of selection. Significant increases were detected for percent tuberization, mean yield per hill, mean tuber weight, and average rating for tuber appearance. The earliest improvement in yield was largely the result of improving percentage of tuberization. Later gains came from improving mean tuber weight as well as continued improvement in percentage of tuberization. The largest improvement was observed during the last cycle of selection. Changes in combining ability were studied in twenty test-crosses produced by pollinating fourTuberosum females with bulked pollen from plants within each of five of the sixAndigena cycles. Appreciable gains were observed for total yield, mean tuber weight, and yield of large tubers. The most advanced hybrids outyielded a comparable group of sevenTuberosum ×Tuberosum progenies with regards to total yield, tuber number, and yield of large tubers. Mean tuber weight was similar in both groups. The overall results suggest the potential ofAndigena in the production of inter-group hybrids. The results also indicate that the limits of improvement in theAndigena population have not yet been reached and that the combining ability with Tuberosum should continue to improve.     

Horizontal resistance insolanum tuberosum to colorado potato beetle (leptinotarsa decemlineata say)

Horizontal resistance (HR) was assessed as a strategy to reduce potato defoliation by the Colorado potato beetle (CPB). Hybrids amongSolanum tuberosum varieties grown in Iowa were first evaluated with a detached leaflet feeding bioassay. Beginning in 1998, resistance was increased annually over three years by intermating and selecting the most resistant l%–2% of each generation of 300–400 plants using the bioassay. When C (= mg leaf tissue consumed_* neonate larva^-1 over 48 h) was measured for the 1% most-resistant genotypes of all generations grown side by side in 2000, it ranged from 6.1 mg_* larva^-1 in the parents to 2.3 for progeny of the F₃ generation compared to 2.7 in ND2858-1, a resistant check. Field trials in Wisconsin showed less defoliation in the F₁ and F₂ selected genotypes than in the parents. A second breeding program using moreS. tuberosum parents with greater genetic diversity, and much larger breeding populations, resulted in significantly faster accumulation of resistance, further suggesting that recurrent mass selection is effective. Foliar glycoalkaloid analyses revealed low levels of solanine and chaconine in the F₃ selections; no leptines or leptinines were detected. Because the parents wereS. tuberosum varieties in which vertical resistance to CPB is unknown, and because the resistance to feeding from parents to the F₃ resistant plants was linear and gradual while ranging from initially very low to considerably higher in the third year, horizontal resistance is strongly implicated. The development of a significant degree of resistance after three rounds of breeding using relatively small breeding populations suggests that HR can be developed from varieties ofSolanum tuberosum lacking initial high levels of resistance to CPB.     

Potato (Solanum spp.) in the hot tropics. VI. Plant population effects on soil temperature,plant development and tuber yield

Nine experiments were run at three hot tropical sites (5–12°S, 180–800 m) within Peru to quantify the influence of plant population on soil temperature and growth and yield of the potato.Radiation interception was greatest at the highest plant populations and soil cooling was directly proportional to the amount of crop cover over the soil, but no appreciable effect on the timing of tuber initiation was apparent. More stems per unit land area leading to a higher leaf area index (lai) were primarily responsible for greater interception of radiation at the higher plant populations, although some compensation in stem number per unit land area and in lai at lower populations was evident later in the season.In general, tuber yield increased linearly with increases in planted population over the range studied (2.7–12.5 plants m⁻², and in one experiment to 31.7 plants m⁻²), and was proportional to increases in the amount of intercepted radiation. Tuber yields ranged from 8 to 60 t ha⁻¹ over sites and populations. Vigorous clones with Solanum tuberosum spp. andigena in their genetic background constituted the exceptions to this linear trend, and for these clones yields declined at the highest populations, particularly when the rectangularity of planting vastly deviated from square patterns. Tuber yield of Solanum tuberosum spp. tuberosum and Neotuberosum (S. tuberosum spp. andigena selected for tuberization under long-day conditions) clones did not respond to variations in rectangularity of planting and, probably due to their small stature and early maturity, did not demonstrate signs of intense between-plant competition for tuber yield as measured with the Kira competition density index. In contrast, for clones with Solanum tuberosum ssp. andigena in their genetic background, maximum tuber yield at populations greater than 5.5 plants m⁻² was dependent on the rectangularity of planting, and declined as the latter deviated from squareness.Since the proportion of marketable tubers was scarcely affected by the planting densities, plant population of S. tuberosum ssp. tuberosum clones planted in hot climates should be as close as possible without limiting the amount of soil available for hilling-up.     

ND2858-1: A useful source of resistance to the Colorado potato beetle

This paper describes a new source of host-plant resistance to the Colorado Potato Beetle (CPB;Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say)) in a tetraploid potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) selection, ND2858-1. This hybrid was recorded as a cross betweenS. fendleri ssp.fendleri (A. Gray) and NDSU selection ND1215-1. Field defoliation of this and progeny clones from a subsequent cross to an cultivar was reduced by 50% to 90% in open-choice field screening plots. Progeny of ND2858-1 are vigorous, with high yield potential, and some clones have tuber glycoalkaloid content equivalent to commercial cultivars. These clones are male and female fertile and may be useful to other potato breeding programs. Further characterization of this resistance source is in progress.     

Yield Response of Potato (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Solanum tuberosum L</Emphasis>.) Genotypes to Late Blight Caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phytophthora infestans</Emphasis> in Uganda

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is a major food and cash crop, mainly grown by small-scale farmers in the highland regions of Uganda. Potato late blight is one of the major diseases limiting production with potential yield losses over 70%, making host resistance a strong element in integrated disease management. This study was carried out to screen and select high yielding potato genotypes with resistance to late blight in Uganda. Forty-eight genotypes, including advanced clones from the population B3C2 of the International Potato Centre, commercial and farmers’ varieties, were evaluated under two environments for two seasons. Trials were laid out in an 8?×?6 alpha lattice design with three replications. Genotypes showed significant differences in yield and resistance to blight. A higher disease severity was observed in Karengyere (56%). The average RAUDPC (= 100 max) across locations indicated that genotypes 395,077.12 and 392,657.8, with disease severity of 12% and 14%, respectively, were the most resistant. Genotypes Victoria (53%) and NKRN59.124 (48%) were the most susceptible. Mean tuber yield under late blight infection was19.8 t ha^?1. The best yielding genotype across sites was 395,112.32 (35.6 t ha^?1) while 394,905.8 (10.3 t ha^?1), yielded the lowest. The mean marketable tuber weight was 8.9 kg with genotypes 395,112.32 and 395,109.34 having the highest marketable weight of 16.5 kg and 15.6 kg respectively. Correlations between yield and yield related parameters were positive (p ≤?0.001), while those between RAUDPC were negative. The following genotypes, 395,112.32, 391,919.3, 393,220.54. 393,077.54, 396,038.107. 392,657.8, Kinigi, 395,014.17, NKRN59.58, NKRK19.17 and 395,011.2, were identified as promising parents for a late blight resistance breeding program. These exhibited high to medium resistance to late blight disease and high yields.     

Breeding studies in potatoes containing high concentrations of anthocyanins

Studies of the breeding behavior of clones containing high levels of anthocyanins were conducted. Red-fleshed clones appeared in proportions suggesting multigenic control of degree of pigmentation. Red-fleshed and pur-ple-fleshed clones were always accompanied by red and purple skin, respectively. Red flesh ranged from partial pigmentation to complete pigmentation represented by pigment present in all tuber tissues. Percentage of com-pletely red-fleshed progeny was 14.5% and 4.1% in red x red crosses vs red × white (or the reciprocal), respectively. Purple-fleshed progeny were obtained from red x white crosses where the white-fleshed parent harbored theP pigment gene in juxtaposition with the nulliplex recessive state of theI gene (i.e.,iiii), which suppressed expression. Total anthocyanin ranged from 6.9 to 35 mg per 100 g fresh weight in the red-fleshed and 5.5 to 17.1 in the purple-fleshed clones. Red-fleshed clones contained predominantly acylated glycosides of pelargonidin while the purple-fleshed clones contained predominantly acylated glycosides of petunidin and peonidin. Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity and Ferrous Reducing Ability of Plasma revealed that the antioxidant levels in the red or purple-fleshed potatoes were two to three times higher than white-fleshed potato.