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Title: GA90-16A NONSWEET, STAPLE-TYPE SWEETPOTATO BREEDING LINE

Author
item KAYS, S. - UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
item MCLAURIN, W. - UNIVERISTY OF GEORGIA
item WANG, YAN - UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
item DUKES, P. - RETIRED
item Bohac, Janice
item Jackson, D

Submitted to: HortScience
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/1/2001
Publication Date: 2/15/2001
Citation: Kays, S.J., Mclaurin, W.J., Wang, Y., Dukes, P.D., Bohac, J., Jackson, D.M. 2001. Ga90-16a nonsweet, staple-type sweetpotato breeding line. Hortscience. 36:175-177

Interpretive Summary: With the rapid expansion of the world's population, there is an increased demand for staple foods. The sweetpotato has great potential for expanded utilization due to its nutritional attributes, high yield potential and wide range of environments where it can be grown. In order to expand its range, there is a need to develop sweetpotato varieties that are starchy, bland and similar to other staple crops like white potato, cassava, yarn and rice. Such a sweetpotato variety could be consumed more frequently than standard orange sweet varieties and be more often utilized in products like chips, french fries, noodles, breads, and other starchy products. It also could be used in combination with standard sweet types to achieve a broader range of flavors in processed sweetpotato products. GA90-16 is a sweetpotato breeding line developed by the University of Georgia and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. GA90-16 is low in sugars, bland in flavor, with an aroma and firm texture similar to the white potato. GA90-16 grows well under hot, humid conditions and has resistance to flea beetles, root-knot nematode, and wilt disease. GA90-16 is being released as a parental line for the development of improved varieties with resistance to specific diseases and insects and for consumption as a staple potato with low flavor impact and excellent eating quality.

Technical Abstract: The sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.] breeding line GA90-16 was developed jointly by the University of Georgia and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. This new breeding line is exceptionally low in endogenous sugar and has reduced aroma and a firm texture in the cooked product similar to the white potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). In comparison to standard, sweet US cultivars, GA90-16 has extremely low activity of the amylase system, accounting for the exceptionally low hydrolysis of starch to maltose during cooking. GA90-16 grows well under hot, humid conditions and has resistance to flea beetles, root-knot nematode, and Fusarium wilt. GA90-16 is being released as a parental line for the development of improved cultivars with low flavor impact and excellent quality as a staple potato combined with resistance to specific diseases and insects.