PARS-70: An interspecific potato hybrid suitable for long storage and autumn-to-autumn seed multiplication

Summary Potato production in Pakistan has been largely based on imported cultivars. Efforts have been made to breed indigenous cultivars adapted to local seed multiplication and production practices. An indigenously bred hybrid(Solarium chacoense xSolatium acaule), named PARS-70 has been approved and released for cultivation in Pakistan. In yield trials, this hybrid was found superior to cultivars Diamant, Patroness, Ultimus, Cardinal and indigenous cultivars/selections Sialkot Sufaid and FB-9555-28. It produces white-yellow tubers, roundoval in shape with an average dry matter content of 21.8%. PARS-70 has the ability to store for up to 13 months in commercial storage (10–14 °C) and also can be stored in improvised unrefrigerated storage as a seed for next crop. Yields were reduced in crops grown from seed tubers stored under improvised unrefrigerated conditions. The long storage characteristic permits use of PARS-70 in autumn-to-autumn seed multiplication cycle without any loss of yield after several cycles of seed multiplication.