Altitude

Potato

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Atlantic', 'Kennebec' and 'Niska'

Summary: 'Altitude' produces erect plants, whereas the reference varieties have semi-erect growth habit. The plants of 'Altitude' are stem types while those of the reference varieties are intermediate between stem and leaf types. 'Altitude' has more secondary and tertiary leaflets than the reference varieties. 'Altitude' produces more flowers per plant than 'Kennebec'. Flower colour for 'Altitude' is white while it is violet for 'Atlantic' and greenish white for 'Niska'. The shape of the tubers for 'Altitude' is oblong while it is round for 'Atlantic' and compressed for 'Niska'. The light sprout of 'Altitude' is broad cylindrical in shape with dense to very dense pubescence while 'Atlantic' has an ovoid shaped light sprout with moderate pubescence and 'Kennebec' and 'Niska' have conical shaped light sprouts with very sparse and sparse pubescence, respectively. The light sprout tip of 'Altitude' is partly open while it is closed for the reference varieties.

Description:

'Altitude' is a table potato variety which has an erect growth habit. It produces a stem type plant which is short to medium in height and matures mid-season. The stem is medium to thick and has absent to very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration. The stem wings are prominent and straight double type. There is no swelling nor anthocyanin colouration of the stem nodes. 'Altitude' produces a medium number of branches.

'Altitude' has medium green leaves with weak pubescence on the lower surface. The leaf silhouette is more open than closed. There is very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration at the apex of the leaf rachis and none at the base. There is weak to moderate pubescence at the apex and base of the leaf rachis. The petiole has very weak intensity of anthocyanin and the stipules are medium to large in size. The terminal leaflet is broad ovate in shape with a cuspidate shaped tip and cordate shaped, mostly symmetrical base. The margin of the terminal leaflet has weak waviness. On average, there are four pairs of primary leaflets and they are small in size. The primary leaflets are narrow ovate in shape with an acuminate shaped tip and mostly symmetrical, cordate shaped base. On average, there are twenty-two secondary and tertiary leaflets.

'Altitude' has a moderate flowering profusion and produces a medium number of florets per inflorescence. The flower buds have absent to very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration and drop readily. The flowers are white with no anthocyanin colouration on the inner and outer sides of the corolla. The corolla is medium in size with a weak to moderately prominent star. The calyx and peduncle have no anthocyanin colouration. The anthers are bright yellow in colour and arranged in a broad cone shape. They produce a small to medium amount of pollen. The stigma is capitate in shape and medium green in colour.

The tuber has predominantly white skin with no secondary colour. The skin texture is rough and flaky and the tuber shape is oblong. The tuber eyes are shallow, intermediate to many in number and evenly distributed. The tuber eyebrows are very slightly prominent. The flesh of the tubers is white with no secondary colour. There are a medium number of tubers per plant. Dormancy of the tubers is short.

The light sprout is broad cylindrical in shape. The base of the light sprout has strong to very strong pubescence and very weak intensity of blue-violet anthocyanin colouration. The habit of the light sprout tip is half way between open and closed. The tip is green in colour with moderate pubescence and very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration. There are few light sprout root initials and the protrusion of the lenticels is weak to moderate. The lateral shoots are short to medium in length.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Altitude' (experimental designation QP89183.10) originated from a cross between the female parent 'LP8314', a clone from the defunct genetic improvement program at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in La Pocatière, Québec which has a high aptitude for chipping but, low yield, and the male parent 'LP84133', another clone from the defunct genetic improvement program at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in La Pocatière, Québec whose yield potential was one of its' principle selection criteria. The cross took place at le Centre de recherche Les Buissons inc., Pointe-aux-Outardes, Québec in 1989. Criteria used by the breeder, Dr. Pierre Turcotte, in the selection of 'Altitude' were appearance, tuber size and shape, tuber skin colour and texture, colour of tuber flesh, depth of tuber eyes, yield, yield stability, specific gravity, tolerance to common scab, late blight and rhizoctonia, aptitude for boiling, chipping and frying, and length of tuber dormancy.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'Altitude' were conducted at Pointe-aux-Outardes, Québec during the summer of 2003. The trial consisted of one 12.5 metre long row for the candidate variety and each reference variety. The potatoes within each row were planted 25 cm apart, center to center, and the spacing between the rows was 1 metre.

Comparison tables for 'Altitude' with reference varieties 'Atlantic', 'Kennebec' and 'Niska'

Total number of secondary and tertiary leaflets per leaf

Colour of corolla (RHS)

Predominant skin colour of tuber

Colour of flesh of tuber