Amandine

Potato

Variety Description

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

Summary: 'Amandine' has dark green leaves that are intermediate between open and closed in silhouette while 'Yukon Gold' has yellowish-green leaves that are open in silhouette. Symmetry of the base of the primary and terminal leaflets for 'Amandine' is mostly asymmetrical while it is mostly symmetrical for the reference varieties. 'Amandine' has a higher flowering profusion than the reference varieties.'Amandine' has red-violet flowers while 'Dali' has white flowers. Tuber shape for 'Amandine' is long while it is round for 'Yukon Gold' and oblong for 'Dali'. The light sprout for 'Amandine' is conical in shape while it is ovoid for 'Yukon Gold' and broad cylindrical for 'Dali'. The light sprouts of 'Amandine' have weak pubescence at the base while those of 'Yukon Gold' have medium pubescence and those of 'Dali' have medium to strong pubescence. Pubescence of the light sprout tip for 'Amandine' is weak while it is strong for 'Dali'. 'Amandine' has strong red-violet anthocyanin colouration of the light sprout tip while 'Yukon Gold' has absent to weak red-violet anthocyanin colouration and 'Dali' has medium blue-violet anthocyanin colouration. Protrusion of lenticels on the light sprout is strong for 'Amandine' while it is weak for the reference varieties.

Description:

'Amandine' is a stem type, short to medium plant with a semi-erect growth habit. The stems are moderately thick and have weak anthocyanin colouration. Stem wings are moderately prominent and both straight single and straight double. The stem nodes have slight swelling and no anthocyanin. 'Amandine' produces a very high number of branches.

The leaves of 'Amandine' are dark green in colour and have medium pubescence on the lower surface. The leaf silhouette is half way between opened and closed. 'Amandine' has no anthocyanin colouration on the upper and lower surfaces of the leaf rachis. The rachis has moderately dense pubescence on the upper surface and no pubescence on the lower surface. The petioles have no anthocyanin colouration and the stipules are small to medium in size. The terminal leaflets are medium ovate in shape with acuminate shaped tips and cordate shaped, strongly asymmetrical bases. The margins of the terminal leaflets have weak waviness. 'Amandine' has five to six pairs of primary leaflets which are medium in size. They are narrowly ovate in shape with acute shaped tips and cordate shaped, strongly asymmetrical bases.

'Amandine' produces a medium number of inflorescences per plant and a medium number of florets per inflorescence. The flower buds have moderate anthocyanin and are persistent. When fully expanded, the flowers are red-violet in colour. There is moderate anthocyanin colouration on the inner and outer side of the corolla. The corolla is medium in size with a moderately prominent star. The calyx has medium anthocyanin colouration and the peduncle has weak anthocyanin. When the flower is fully expanded, the anthers are orange in colour and arranged in a broad cone shape. The stigma is capitate and medium green in colour.

The tubers of 'Amandine' have light yellow coloured skin with no secondary colour. Skin texture is smooth and tuber shape is long. Tuber eyes are shallow in depth, few in number and have a predominantly apical distribution. The eyebrows are not prominent. The tuber flesh is light yellow in colour with no secondary colour. 'Amandine' produces a medium number of tubers per plant.

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

Origin & Breeding History: 'Amandine' originated from a cross between 'Mariana' and 'Charlotte', made in Châteauneuf-du-Faou, France in 1981. Trials were grown in France, Italy, Germany and England from 1983 to 1991. Selection criteria included appearance, yield, resistance to diseases and pests, and culinary quality.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'Amandine' 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. Unless indicated otherwise, measured characteristics were based on 20 measurements.

Comparison tables for 'Amandine' with reference varieties 'Yukon Gold' and 'Dali'

Number of secondary and tertiary leaflets

RHS colour of corolla

Tuber length (at mid-range) (mm)

Tuber width (at mid-range) (mm)

Tuber thickness (at mid-range) (mm)