Alta Blush

Potato

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Spunta', 'Bintje' and 'Mondial'

Summary: The plant of 'Alta Blush' has a leaf type foliage structure while the reference varieties have stem to intermediate type foliage structures. 'Alta Blush' has a shorter plant height than the reference varieties. 'Alta Blush' has absent to weak anthocyanin colouration in the stem while 'Bintje' has strong anthocyanin. 'Alta Blush' has medium anthocyanin colouration on the upper side of the leaf rachis while 'Spunta and 'Mondial' have absent or very weak anthocyanin and 'Bintje' has weak anthocyanin. The tuber of 'Alta Blush' has reddish-brown skin colour with red at the base of the eye while the reference varieties have yellow skin colour with yellow at the base of the eye. 'Alta Blush' has white tuber flesh while the reference varieties have light yellow flesh. 'Alta Blush' has a lower proportion of blue in the anthocyanin colouration at the base of the light sprout than the reference varieties.

Description:

PLANT: semi upright growth habit, leaf type foliage structure
STEM: absent to weak anthocyanin colouration located in the bottom half, medium to thick, nodes with medium to high swelling

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

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

TUBER: oval
TUBER SKIN: reddish-brown, red at base of eye, smooth texture
TUBER EYES: shallow in depth, evenly distributed, eyebrows prominent
TUBER FLESH: white, no secondary colour

LIGHT SPROUT: large, broad cylindrical, low number of root tips, short lateral shoots
BASE: strong anthocyanin colouration, absent or low proportion of blue in anthocyanin, sparse pubescence
TIP: equal to base in size, intermediate habit, weak anthocyanin colouration, medium pubescence.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Alta Blush' was discovered as a chance seedling in Wetaskiwin, Alberta in 1992. The exact parentage is unknown. Further selection occurred from 1993 to 1995. Selection criteria included yield and quality characteristics.

Tests & Trials: Trials for 'Alta Blush' 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 table for 'Alta Blush' with reference varieties 'Spunta', 'Bintje' and 'Mondial'

Plant height (cm)

Click on image for larger view

Potato: 'Alta Blush' (centre right) with reference varieties 'Spunta' (left), 'Bintje' (centre left) and 'Mondial' (right)