Chérie

Potato

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Symfonia' and 'Bijou Rouge'

Summary: 'Chérie' has a taller plant height and weaker stem anthocyanin than 'Symfonia'. 'Chérie' has a narrowly ovate terminal leaflet while the terminal leaflet of 'Symfonia' is fused with the secondary leaflets giving it an irregular shape. 'Chérie' has a lower flowering profusion than the reference varieties. The flower buds are less persistent for 'Chérie' than for the reference varieties. The flower buds of 'Chérie' have weaker anthocyanin colouration than the flower buds of the reference varieties. 'Chérie' has a lighter red-violet flower colour than 'Bijou Rouge'. 'Chérie' has a long tuber shape while 'Symfonia' has an oval tuber and 'Bijou Rouge' has an oblong tuber. 'Chérie' has a conical light sprout while 'Symfonia' has a spherical light sprout.

Description:

'Chérie' has a semi-upright growth habit and produces an intermediate type plant. The stems are medium in thickness and have medium to strong anthocyanin colouration which is evenly distributed along the stem. The nodes have low swelling.

'Chérie' has medium green leaves and an intermediate leaf silhouette. The leaf rachis and petiole have medium to strong anthocyanin. The terminal leaflet is narrowly ovate in shape with an acute shaped tip and obtuse shaped base. The terminal and lateral leaflets have an absent or very low frequency of coalescence. The lateral leaflets are small to medium in size and are narrowly ovate in shape with an acute shaped tip and obtuse to cordate shaped base. The leaf veins are shallow to medium in depth. The terminal and lateral leaflets have weak waviness of the margin and have medium glossiness of the upper surface. The leaf blades have weak to medium pubescence at the apical rosette. The presence of secondary leaflets is medium.

'Chérie' has a low flowering profusion and small inflorescence size. The flower buds are weakly persistent and have weak anthocyanin. The corolla is red-violet in colour and has medium anthocyanin colouration. The corolla is small to medium in size and has a moderately prominent star. The peduncle has weak anthocyanin.

The tubers have red skin with red colour at the base of the eye. The skin texture is smooth. The tubers are long in shape. The tuber eyes are level with the tuber and are evenly distributed. The tuber eyebrows are slightly prominent. The tuber flesh is light yellow in colour with secondary colour present.

'Chérie' has a medium sized light sprout which is conical in shape. The light sprout base has very strong anthocyanin with a medium proportion of blue. The base has dense pubescence. The tip of the light sprout is equal in size in relation to the base. The tip has a closed habit and has absent to very weak anthocyanin colouration. The tip has medium pubescence. There are a medium number of root tips and the lateral roots are medium in length.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Chérie' originated from a cross between 'Roseval' and 'VK 76.199.3', made in Châteaûneuf-du-Faôu, France in 1985. Trials were conducted in Europe from 1987 to 1994. Selection criteria included yield, resistance to pests and diseases and quality characteristics.

Tests & Trials: Trials for 'Chérie' were conducted in North Tilley, New Brunswick in 2004. A randomized block design was used with four replicates per variety. All entries were planted in single-row plots and each entry had one replicate per block. Plots consisted of rows 5.5 meters long and between row spacing of 91 cm. Measured characteristics were based on 10 measurements. Colour determinations were made using the RHS colour chart.

Comparison tables for 'Chérie' with reference varieties 'Symfonia' and 'Bijou Rouge'

Plant height (cm)

Colour of corolla (RHS)