Astoria

Potato

Variety Description

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

Summary: 'Astoria' has a semi-upright growth habit while 'Rosara' has a spreading growth habit and 'Yukon Gold' has an upright growth habit. 'Astoria' has a shorter plant height than the reference varieties. 'Astoria' has no anthocyanin colouration in the stem while the reference varieties have weak to medium anthocyanin. 'Astoria' has white corolla colour while the reference varieties have red-violet corolla colour. The tubers of 'Astoria' have yellow skin while the tubers of 'Rosara' have red skin. 'Astoria' has a smaller light sprout with weaker anthocyanin colouration at the base than the reference varieties.

Description:

PLANT: semi upright growth habit, intermediate type foliage structure
STEM: no anthocyanin colouration, thin, nodes with low swelling

LEAVES: medium green, intermediate silhouette, absent or very weak anthocyanin colouration on upper side of rachis and petiole, medium depth of veins, absent or very weak waviness of margin, medium glossiness on upper side, no pubescence on leaves at apical rosette, medium presence of secondary leaflets
TERMINAL LEAFLET: medium to broadly ovate shape, cuspidate to acuminate tip, obtuse base, absent or very low frequency of coalescence with lateral leaflets
LATERAL LEAFLETS: medium size, narrow ovate shape, acute to acuminate tip, obtuse to cordate base

INFLORESCENCE: high flowering profusion, large size, flower buds persistent, absent or very weak anthocyanin colouration in flower bud.
COROLLA: white, medium to large size, weakly prominent star, absent or very weak anthocyanin colouration on peduncle

TUBER: oval
TUBER SKIN: yellow, yellow at base of eye, smooth texture
TUBER EYES: shallow in depth, evenly distributed, eyebrows slightly prominent
TUBER FLESH: medium to dark yellow, no secondary colour

LIGHT SPROUT: small, spherical, medium number of root tips, short lateral shoots
BASE: weak anthocyanin colouration, absent or low proportion of blue in anthocyanin, sparse pubescence
TIP: equal to base in size, closed habit, absent or very weak anthocyanin colouration, sparse pubescence.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Astoria' originated from a cross between 'Gesa' and 'Cilena', made in Windeby, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany in 1988. 'Gesa' originated from the cross 'Steffi' x 'Taiga' and 'Cilena' originated from the cross 'Gelda' x 'Hirta'.

Tests & Trials: Trials for 'Astoria' were conducted in Drummond, New Brunswick in 2006. All entries were planted in single-row plots. Plots consisted of rows 22 metres long with 30 cm in row spacing and between row spacing of 91 cm. Measured characteristics were based on 10 measurements. Colour determinations were made using the 1986 RHS colour chart.

Comparison tables for 'Astoria' with reference varieties 'Rosara' and 'Yukon Gold'

Plant height (cm)

Colour of corolla (RHS)

Click on image for larger view

Potato: 'Astoria' (centre) with reference varieties 'Yukon Gold' (left) and 'Rosara' (right)