Selection of Chilean potato clones for tuber yield, frying quality, plant vigor and vegetative cycle

The objective of this study was to evaluate the yield potential, frying quality, plant vigor, and vegetative cycle of Chilean potato clones, aiming to identify those with potential to become new cultivars or to be used in breeding programs. The experiments were conducted in Pelotas-RS and Canoinhas-SC, Brazil, in spring 2017. A set of 37 advanced potato clones belonging to the Agricultural Research Institute of Chile (INIA) was compared to commercial cultivars Agata, Asterix and Atlantic. A randomized complete block design with three replications of two rows with 10 plants each was used. Tuber yield, frying quality, plant vigor and vegetative cycle traits were evaluated. The data were submitted to analysis of variance, test for grouping means, and the selection differential. In this set of clones there are some presenting superior quality in relation to marketable tuber yield and frying quality, but the vegetative cycle was not shorter nor plant vigor was lower. Clones CH 27 and CH 44 were the best for marketable tuber yield and frying quality at both locations.