The Growth and Development of the Potato According to their Variety in the Central Area of Romania

In Europe, the potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) was first cultivated in botanical gardens. Currently, in our country, special emphasis is placed on potato cultivation, especially in the central area of ​​the country. In Romania, potato consumption is high, being considered ”the second bread” by the entire population. In this study, the capacity of growth and development for some potato varieties was observed, to highlight their suitability in the central area of Romania. Four varieties of potatoes as certified seed tubers were used in this study (`Productiv`, `Alouette`, `Salad Blue` and `Paradiso`). Varieties were provided by the Potato Research - Development Station from Romania. During the vegetation period, the following criterias were monitorized: the height of the main stem, the number of principal stems, the number of leaves on the main stem, the length of the median leaf on the main stem and the chlorophyll content of the leaves. The three potato varieties (`Alouette`, `Salad Blue` and `Paradiso`), were grown under the same conditions as the control (`Productiv`), in Sibiu county, Romania. Following the measurements and their interpretation from a statistical point of view, it was demonstrated that the `Alouette` variety had the best growth and development.