Gem Russet

Potato

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Russet Norkotah' and 'Russet Burbank'

Summary: 'Gem Russet' has a more erect growth habit than the reference varieties. The leaves of 'Gem Russet' have a more closed silhouette than 'Russet Burbank'. 'Gem Russet' has fewer secondary and tertiary leaflets than 'Russet Norkotah'. the tubers of 'Gem Russet' have a light russetted texture while the tubers of 'Russet Norkotah' are more russetted and the tubers of 'Russet Burbank' have a netted texture. 'Gem Russet' has longer tubers than 'Russet Burbank'. 'Gem Russet' has a smaller light sprout which is conical in shape while the reference varieties have ovoid shaped light sprouts.

Description:

'Gem Russet' has an erect growth habit and produces a leaf type plant which is medium to tall in height. The stems are medium in thickness and have no anthocyanin colouration. Stem wings are strongly prominent and waved single. The stem nodes have slight swelling and no anthocyanin. 'Gem Russet' produces a low number of branches.

The leaves of 'Gem Russet' are medium green in colour and have medium pubescence on the lower surface. The leaf silhouette is closed to medium. The leaf rachis has no anthocyanin on the top or bottom. The rachis has weak 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 medium ovate in shape with acuminate shaped tips and obtuse to cordate, strongly asymmetrical bases. The margins of the terminal leaflets have very weak waviness. 'Gem Russet' has six pairs of primary leaflets which are medium in size. They are narrowly ovate in shape with acute shaped tips and cordate shaped, weak to moderately asymmetrical bases.

'Gem Russet' produces a medium number of inflorescences per plant and a low to medium number of florets per inflorescence. The flower buds have weak 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 weakly prominent star. The calyx has medium anthocyanin and the peduncle has weak anthocyanin colouration. The anthers are orange in colour when the flower is fully expanded and are arranged in a narrow cone shape. The stigma is capitate and medium green in colour.

The tubers of 'Gem Russet' have buff coloured skin with no secondary colour. Skin texture is lightly russetted and tuber shape is long. Tuber eyes are intermediate in depth, intermediate in number and evenly distributed. The eyebrows are slightly prominent. The tuber flesh is white in colour with no secondary colour. 'Gem Russet' produces a medium number of tubers per plant.

The light sprout of 'Gem Russet' is very small and conical in shape with weak pubescence and strong, red-violet anthocyanin colouration at the base. The light sprout tip habit is moderate between closed and open. The tip has medium pubescence and no anthocyanin. The light sprout has a medium frequency of root initials and weak protrusion of lenticels. The lateral shoots on the light sprout are short in length.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Gem Russet' originated from a cross between A77182-1 and 'Russet Norkotah', made at The University of Idaho's Aberdeen Research and Extension Center in April of 1984. 'Gem Russet' was selected out of an F1 population using the selection criteria; appearance, yield, specific gravity, french fry quality and disease resistance.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'Gem Russet' 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 'Gem Russet' with reference varieties 'Russet Norkotah' and 'Russet Burbank'

Secondary and tertiary leaflets

Colour of corolla (RHS)

Tuber length (mm)