Victoria

Potato

Variety Description

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

Summary: 'Victoria' has a higher number of secondary and tertiary leaflets than 'CalWhite'. 'Victoria' has white flowers while 'Yukon Gold' has red-violet flowers. The tubers of 'Victoria' have tan coloured skin while 'Yukon Gold' has light yellow skin and 'CalWhite' has buff skin colour. 'Victoria' has medium yellow tuber flesh while 'Yukon Gold' has light yellow flesh and 'CalWhite' has white flesh. The light sprout of 'Victoria' is spherical in shape while it is ovoid for 'Yukon Gold' and broad cylindrical for 'CalWhite'. 'Victoria' has less anthocyanin on the light sprout base than 'CalWhite'. 'Victoria' has stronger pubescence on the light sprout tip than the reference varieties

Description:

'Victoria' has an erect growth habit and produces a tall plant which is intermediate between stem and leaf type. The stems are thick and have weak anthocyanin colouration. Stem wings are prominent and waved single. The stem nodes have slight swelling and no anthocyanin. 'Victoria' produces a low to moderate number of branches.

The leaves of 'Victoria' are dark green in colour and have medium pubescence on the lower surface. The leaf silhouette is medium. The leaf rachis has absent to weak anthocyanin on the top and no anthocyanin on the bottom. The rachis has weak pubescence on the top and no pubescence on the bottom. The petioles have absent to weak anthocyanin and the stipules are medium in size. The terminal leaflets are medium to broadly ovate in shape with acute shaped tips and cordate shaped, moderately asymmetrical bases. The margins of the terminal leaflets have very weak waviness. 'Victoria' has six pairs of primary leaflets which are large in size. They are narrow to medium ovate in shape with acute shaped tips and cordate shaped, moderately asymmetrical bases.

'Victoria' produces a high number of inflorescences per plant and a medium number of florets per inflorescence. The flower buds have medium 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 anthocyanin colouration and the peduncle has no anthocyanin. 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 'Victoria' have tan coloured skin with no secondary colour. Skin texture is smooth to netted and tuber shape is oval. Tuber eyes are shallow in depth, intermediate in number and evenly distributed. The eyebrows are slightly prominent. The tuber flesh is medium yellow in colour with no secondary colour. 'Victoria' produces a medium number of tubers per plant.

The light sprout of 'Victoria' is spherical in shape with strong pubescence and medium to strong, red-violet anthocyanin colouration at the base. The light sprout tip habit is moderate between closed and open. The tip has strong pubescence and medium, red-violet anthocyanin. The light sprout has a low frequency of root initials and medium protrusion of lenticels. The lateral shoots on the light sprout are short to medium in length.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Victoria' originated from a cross between 'Agria' and 'Rop J 861', made in Metslawier, The Netherlands in 1986. Selection criteria included yield, quality and disease resistance.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'Victoria' 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 'Victoria' with reference varieties 'Yukon Gold' and 'CalWhite'

Secondary and tertiary leaflets

Colour of corolla (RHS)