Features of seed production of potato varieties
Potato is a very specific crop in terms of seed production, unlike all traditional crops, it reproduces vegetatively ,by tubers. As everyone knows, a potato tuber is a modified shoot that is located underground, where the buds are concentrated, potato buds, with the help of which reproduction occurs.
What is a potato variety?
We would like to consider the process of potato seed production. To develop one new potato variety, scientists breeders work for at least 10 years to get a really good variety that meets all quality indicators and meets the needs of the consumer. Breeding varieties are carried out by genetic breeding institutions, scientists strive to combine many useful properties in one variety so that the variety is high-yielding, disease-resistant, weakly degenerates, has good taste and attractive appearance.
This is done by crossing plants without genetic interference. We would like to say that there are practically no genetically modified potatoes in the world, experiments were carried out in the 90s of the twentieth century, which ended unsuccessfully.
Potato breeding
The next and no less difficult stage of potato seed production is the propagation of that variety. This process is very responsible, since it is in the process of reproduction that a potato variety can lose those important properties that the authors of the variety have given it.
This is primarily due to the fact that the process takes place in the field, as opposed to the creation of a variety, which takes place in the laboratory. The breeding process begins with planting the source material in the ground - these are the so-called mini-tubers, which were the result of the work of breeders. These mini-tubers retain all the properties of this variety.
What is potato reproduction
The crop that was harvested from mini-tubers is called the first field reproduction, because it was first planted in the field, and not in the laboratory. The next year, the first field reproduction is again planted in the field and a super-super elite is obtained. The following year, the super-super-elite is planted again, and the super-elite is harvested.
And finally, in the fourth year, the elite grows from the superelite, that is, potato seeds of one variety or another, which have gone through all the stages of reproduction and are ready for sale. As already mentioned, the breeding process is extremely responsible and one mistake can cost a lot, therefore only specialized companies that produce potato seeds are engaged in potato propagation.
One of these companies is Norika, the parent company of Norika-Ukraine, which is engaged in both breeding and propagating varieties.
Rules and procedure for the reproduction of potato varieties
The final stage of potato seed production is the cultivation of reproductive seeds. That is, the elite landed to receive the first reproduction, and the first - to obtain the second. In general, the super-elite and elite have the maximum yield potential, since the seed material is grown by a specialized company and does not include various diseases, which is the main reason for the decrease in yield. Reproduction of reproductive seeds is also a critical stage.
It is carried out in specialized farms that have state permission for this. Such farms must comply with the rules for seed production: carry out phyto- and variety cleaning (removal of diseased or atypical plants from the field) several times during the growing season, allocate remote fields for seed production from the usual plantings of potatoes and the population, carry out enhanced chemical protection of plants, and many other methods for obtaining high-quality potato seeds of the first (or second) reproduction.
As you can see, the technology of growing (propagating) seed potatoes is very different from the traditional one and, therefore, is carried out only in specialized seed farms, the so-called elite farms. One of the few elite farms in Ukraine is the farm "Adelaida", which is engaged in the cultivation of reproductive seed material of potatoes.
Dependence of yield on reproduction
So, potato seed production is a difficult and responsible process in agricultural production, which requires a lot of time and labor. All this is connected with the specifics of the potato culture - with each subsequent reproduction, starting from the super elite, the yield reduction occurs on average from 20-35% of the gross harvest.
Therefore, the renewal and improvement of potato seed material is an important task for the potato industry.
Tips for Selecting Potato Seeds
When buying potato seeds, you need to pay attention to:
- For a producer, it should be a specialized farm (there are not so many of them in Ukraine).
- On the appearance of seeds. Free of disease and pest infestations. If you buy in the spring no signs of broken potato buds (loss of 1/4 of the crop).
- Uniformity of tubers. A professional potato grower cannot tolerate regrading.
- For the size of the tubers. Seed material is not small potatoes selected from food. That is, potatoes should be medium and large in size.
All good harvests and good prices.
