Serafina

Potato

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Yukon Gold' and 'AC Maple Gold'

Summary: 'Serafina' has spreading plants, whereas 'Yukon Gold' has an erect growth habit. 'Serafina' has white flowers while the flowers of 'Yukon Gold' are blue-violet. The peduncle of 'Serafina' has weak anthocyanin colouration, compared with both reference varieties which have no anthocyanin on the peduncle. The tuber shape of 'Serafina' is oblong, whereas the references have oval tubers. 'Serafina' has weak anthocyanin at the base of the light sprout. 'Yukon Gold' has very strong anthocyanin and 'AC Maple Gold' has strong anthocyanin at the base of the light sprout.

Description:

'Serafina' has a spreading growth habit and produces an intermediate type plant which is medium in height. The stem is thick and has weak anthocyanin colouration. The stem wings are prominent and straight single type. The stem nodes have strong swelling and have no anthocyanin colouration. 'Serafina' produces many branches.

'Serafina' has medium green leaves with pubescence on the lower surface. The leaf silhouette is medium. The leaf rachis has no anthocyanin colouration. There is pubescence on the top and bottom of the leaf rachis. The petiole has no anthocyanin and the stipules are small in size. The terminal leaflet is medium ovate in shape with an acuminate shaped tip and truncate base which is asymmetrical. The margin has weak waviness. There are four pairs of primary leaflets which are medium in size. The primary leaflets are medium ovate in shape with an acuminate shaped tip and asymmetrical, truncate base. There are five to ten secondary and tertiary leaflets.

'Serafina' has a low flowering profusion and produces a medium number of florets per inflorescence. The flower bud has weak anthocyanin colouration and the buds are persistent. The flowers are white with no anthocyanin colouration on the inner side or outer side. The corolla is medium in size with a very prominent star. The calyx and peduncle have weak anthocyanin. The anthers are orange and arranged in a broad cone shape. The stigma is capitate in shape and light green in colour. Berry production is low.

The tuber has yellow skin with no secondary colour. The skin texture is smooth and the tuber shape is oblong. The tuber eyes are shallow in depth, intermediate in number and are evenly distributed. The tuber eyebrows are not prominent. The flesh is medium yellow with no secondary colour. There are a medium number of tubers per plant.

The light sprout is ovoid in shape. The base has weak pubescence and weak, blue-violet anthocyanin colouration. The tip habit is closed. The tip has weak pubescence and is green, with no anthocyanin colouration. There are a medium number of light sprout root initials and the protrusion of lenticels is moderate. The length of the lateral shoots is medium.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Serafina' originated from a cross '382/78' x 'Palma' made in 1986 in Bad Schwartau, Germany. A clonal selection technique was used in the development of the variety, and selections occurred in generations F2 to F6. The selection criteria were disease resistance and cooking quality.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'Serafina' were conducted at Vauxhall, Alberta in 2003. The trials consisted of 30 metre rows of each variety. The plants within each row were planted 30cm apart, and the spacing between the rows was 90cm. Measured characteristics were based on 50 measurements.

Comparison tables for 'Serafina' with reference varieties 'Yukon Gold' and 'AC Maple Gold'

Colour of corolla (RHS)

Tuber length (mm)

Tuber width (mm)

Tuber thickness (mm)