Performance of true potato seed families. 2. Comparison of transplants vs. seedling tubers

Abstract

A potato crop can be grown from true potato seed (TPS) either by transplanting seedlings to the field (seedling transplants) or by planting tubers derived from seedlings (seedling tubers). The effect of the planting method on performance of TPS families was evaluated for three types of families, 4x×2x hybrid, open pollinated, and self pollinated. Families from seedling transplants and seedling tubers and their 4x parental clones were compared for tuber yield and specific gravity. Families from tubers had substantially higher yields and significantly more uniform specific gravity than families from transplants. Hybrid seedling tuber families had a higher mean yield than the parental clones and did not differ from them in specific gravity. Selection in the seedling generation could further improve both OP and hybrid families from transplants and from seedling tubers.