Agata

Potato

Variety Description

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

Summary: 'Agata' has a more spreading growth habit than the reference varieties. The terminal leaflet of 'Agata' has a wavier margin than the reference varieties. 'Agata' has white flowers while 'Yukon Gold' has red-violet flowers. The tubers of 'Agata' have medium yellow coloured flesh while the tubers of 'Yukon Gold' have light yellow flesh and 'Kennebec' has white flesh. The light sprout of 'Agata' is broad cylindrical in shape while the light sprout is ovoid for 'Yukon Gold' and spherical for 'Kennebec'. 'Agata' has weaker anthocyanin on the light sprout base than 'Yukon Gold'.

Description:

'Agata' matures early to mid-season. It has a spreading growth habit and produces a leaf type plant which is medium in height. The stems are thin and have no anthocyanin colouration. Stem wings are moderately prominent and straight single. The stem nodes have slight swelling and no anthocyanin. 'Agata' produces a high number of branches.

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

'Agata' produces a low number of inflorescences per plant and a low number of florets per inflorescence. The flower buds have no 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 and peduncle have no anthocyanin colouration. The anthers are orange in colour when the flower is fully expanded and are arranged in a broad cone shape. The stigma is capitate and medium green in colour.

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

The light sprout of 'Agata' is broad cylindrical in shape with medium pubescence and absent to weak, red-violet anthocyanin colouration at the base. The light sprout tip habit is closed. The tip has medium pubescence and absent to weak, red-violet anthocyanin. The light sprout has a medium frequency of root initials and medium protrusion of lenticels. The lateral shoots on the light sprout are long in length.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Agata' originated from a cross between BM 52-72 and 'Sirco', made in Emmeloord, The Netherlands in 1976.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'Agata' 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 'Agata' with reference varieties 'Yukon Gold' and 'Kennebec'

Secondary and tertiary leaflets

Colour of corolla (RHS)