ARS | Publication request: EXPLOITING CULTIVATED GERMPLASM TO BREED FOR ENHANCED TUBER CALCIUM ACCUMULATION ABILITY

Submitted to: American Journal of Potato Research
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: July 15, 2005
Publication Date: March 10, 2006
Citation: Vega, S.E., Palta, J.P., Bamberg, J.B. 2006. Exploiting cultivated germplasm to breed for enhanced tuber calcium accumulation ability [abstract]. American Journal of Potato Research. 83:136.

Technical Abstract: The development of a potato cultivar with increased calcium accumulation ability in the tuber is very important. Potato tuber tissue is known to be naturally deficient in calcium. Lack of adequate calcium is associated with tuber defects such as internal brown spot, hollow heart, and storage rot. We have also found that potato chip quality can be improved by increasing tuber calcium concentration. The most popular chipping cultivars (e.g. Atlantic, Snowden) accumulate very low calcium in the tuber (100-150 ppm) and are highly prone to tuber defects and bruising. However other cultivars such as Superior can accumulate significantly higher calcium in the tuber (250-300ppm) and have many fewer internal defects and bruise problems. From reciprocal crosses between Atlantic and Superior we have created two segregating progenies. Over 500 genotypes were evaluated for specific gravity, tuber yield and tuber number, and a sub-sample was evaluated for tuber calcium accumulation. Duplicate plants from each genotype were grown in controlled greenhouse environment from in vitro propagated plantlets. For both crosses, the progeny’s average tuber yield per plant was closer to the Superior parent. However, average tuber number and specific gravity of the progeny were closer to the Atlantic parent. Many individuals with enhanced tuber yield, tuber number and specific gravity than either of the parents were recovered in the two-way reciprocal crosses. Mean tuber calcium concentration for the progeny was closer to mid-parent value. Again many genotypes with tuber calcium concentration greater than either of the parents were recovered. These results provide evidences that it is possible to improve tuber calcium concentration using cultivated germplasm. We plan to use these progenies for developing chipping cultivars with improved tuber quality.