Tuber quality and yield components of potato (Solanum tuberosum) F1 hybrids

Quality characteristics and yield components were evaluated in an F1 progeny of 837 hybrids from a cross between potato genotypes selected for their characteristics of resistance, tuber yield and tuber quality. Sexual seed were grown under greenhouse conditions and tuber characteristics as skin and pulp color, eye depth, tuber number and total weight pert plant were assessed for each hybrid at harvest time. Thereafter, the hybrids were planted in the field through 3 clonal generations. In each cycle a selection based on resistance to late blight (Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary) and leafminer (Liriomyza huidobrensis Blanchard) was performed and those hybrids with undesirable characteristics in the tubers were also discarded. At harvest of the third clonal generation in the field, yield components and tuber quality of each hybrid were also recorded. As a result, 19 hybrids were selected at the end of the 3 cycles of field evaluation. Most of these hybrids show cream-colored flesh, oval shape, smooth skin and shallow eyes. Additionally, the hybrids yielded an average of one kilogram per plant, plus high contents of starch and total solids.