Carlita

Potato

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Yukon Gold' and 'Morning Gold'

Summary: 'Carlita' has a shorter plant height than the reference varieties. 'Carlita' has a lower number of secondary and tertiary leaflets than the reference varieties. 'Carlita' has white flowers while 'Yukon Gold' has red-violet flowers. The light sprouts of 'Carlita' have no pubescence at the base while the reference varieties have pubescence present. The light sprout tip of 'Carlita' has stronger anthocyanin than 'Yukon Gold'.

Description:

'Carlita' has a semi-erect growth habit and produces a short plant which is intermediate between stem and leaf type. The stems are thin and have weak to medium anthocyanin colouration. Stem wings are prominent and both waved and straight single. The stem nodes have slight swelling and no anthocyanin. 'Carlita' produces a very high number of branches.

The leaves of 'Carlita' are greyish green in colour and have medium pubescence on the lower surface. The leaf silhouette is open. The leaf rachis has weak anthocyanin on the top and no anthocyanin on the bottom. The rachis has sparse pubescence on the top and no pubescence on the bottom. The petioles have weak anthocyanin and the stipules are medium in size. The terminal leaflets are medium ovate in shape with acute shaped tips and obtuse to cordate shaped, strongly asymmetrical bases. The margins of the terminal leaflets have weak to medium waviness. 'Carlita' has five pairs of primary leaflets which are medium in size. They are narrowly ovate in shape with acute shaped tips and obtuse to cordate shaped, weakly asymmetrical bases.

'Carlita' produces a medium number of inflorescences per plant and a medium number of florets per inflorescence. The flower buds have strong anthocyanin and are persistent. When fully expanded, the flowers are white in colour. There is no anthocyanin on the inner and outer side of the corolla. The corolla is medium in size with a weak to moderately prominent star. The calyx has weak to medium anthocyanin colouration and the peduncle has weak anthocyanin. The anthers are orange in colour when the flower is fully expanded and are arranged in a narrow shaped cone. The stigma is capitate and medium green in colour.

The tubers of 'Carlita' have light yellow coloured skin with no secondary colour. Skin texture is smooth and tuber shape is round to oval. Tuber eyes are intermediate in depth, intermediate in number and evenly distributed. The eyebrows are slightly prominent. The tuber flesh is light yellow in colour with no secondary colour. 'Carlita' produces a low number of tubers per plant.

The light sprout of 'Carlita' is broad cylindrical in shape with no pubescence and weak to medium, red-violet anthocyanin colouration at the base. The light sprout tip habit is moderate between closed and open. The tip has weak pubescence and medium, red-violet anthocyanin. The light sprout has a medium frequency of root initials and weak protrusion of lenticels. The lateral shoots on the light sprout are medium in length.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Carlita' originated from a cross between 'Jaerla' and 'Provita', made in Luttelgeest, The Netherlands in 1979.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'Carlita' were conducted at Grand Falls, New Brunswick in 2000. A randomized block design was used with four replicates per variety. All entries were planted in single-row plots which were 5.5 metres long. Spacing between adjacent plots was 91 cm and spacing between adjacent hills within the plot was 30.5 cm.

Comparison tables for 'Carlita' with reference varieties 'Yukon Gold' and 'Morning Gold'

Secondary and tertiary leaflets

Colour of corolla (RHS)