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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Orono, Maine » New England Plant, Soil and Water Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #159062
Title: RELEASE OF FOUR LATE BLIGHT TOLERANT POTATO VARIETIES IN KENYA

Author
item LUNG'AHO, C - POTATO RESEARCH, TIGONI
item NDERITU, SK - POTATO RESEARCH, TIGONI
item KABIRA, J - POTATO RESEARCH, TIGONI
item WALINGO, A - POTATO RESEARCH, TIGONI
item Olanya, Modesto

Submitted to: Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/16/2005
Publication Date: 12/25/2005
Citation: Lung'Aho, C., Nderitu, S.N., Kabira, J.N., Walingo, A., Olanya, O.M. 2005. Yield performand and release of four late blight tolerant potato varieties in Kenya. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science. 5 (1): 57-61

Interpretive Summary: Potato is one of the most important cash and food crops grown on about 70,000 ha in the highlands of Kenya. Potato varieties Kenya Faulu, Kenya Karibu, Kenya Mavuno and Kenya Sifa were approved for release by the Kenya Variety release Committee in 2002. Average potato production by small-scale farmers is 8 tons/ha, while the per capita consumption is estimated at 40 kg / person. The major constraints to production are diseases such as late blight (Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary) and bacterial wilt (Ralstonia solanacearum).The limited availability of healthy seed or planting material is a yearly problem. The four newly released varieties are selections from advanced potato clones obtained from the International Potato Center. The varieties were selected on the basis of excellent yield performance, good agronomic characteristics, and high late blight resistance in multi-location tests conducted in four agro-ecological zones of Kenya. Because of the low yield of some of the currently grown varieties, farmers can easily use the new varieties to increase potato yield.

Technical Abstract: Potato is becoming an increasingly important cash and food crops in Kenya. Late blight (Phytophthora infestans) and bacterial wilt (Ralstonia solanacearum) are the most important diseases. Potato varieties Kenya Faulu, Kenya Karibu, Kenya Mavuno and Kenya Sifa were approved for release by the Kenya Variety release Committee in 2002. The varieties were derived from superior potato clones KP90142.7, KP90172.34, KP91301.10 and 720097 selected from multi-location experiments in Kenya. Pedigrees of the above clones were derived from crosses made between advanced clones from Population A (International Potato Center), with quantitative resistance. The pedigrees of KP90142.7 is a cross between CIP 381378.18 X CIP 375333.1; KP90172.34 is a cross of CIP 676064 X CIP 800946; KP91301.10 is a cross of CIP 381378.18 X CIP 720084. The clone 720097.1 is a derivative of ex-Mexican germplasm from the collections at the International Potato Center in Lima, Peru. All four varieties have good tuber characteristics, high dry matter content, acceptable tuber color and storability and are suitable for processing into chips and frozen fries. The newly released varieties showed very good levels of tolerance to late blight infection and can be used to improve potato yield.