BC Reds

Potato

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Norland' and 'Sangre'

Summary: 'BC Reds' has no anthocyanin in the stem and petiole while 'Norland' and 'Sangre' have weak to medium anthocyanin. 'BC Reds' has absent to very weak levels of coalescence in terminal and lateral leaflets whereas 'Sangre' has moderate to high levels of coalescence. Tubers of 'BC Reds' are oval to oblong whereas those of the reference varieties are round. The light sprout of 'BC Reds' is larger than that of 'Sangre'. The base of the light sprout of 'BC Reds' has less anthocyanin and less pubescence than the reference varieties. The tip of the light sprout of 'BC Reds' has less anthocyanin and more pubescence than that of 'Sangre'.

Description:

PLANT: upright to semi-upright growth habit, leaf type foliage structure

STEM: absent or very weak anthocyanin, thin main stem, swelling of nodes absent or very low

LEAF: medium to dark green, intermediate silhouette, anthocyanin in rachis absent to weak and absent to very weak in petiole
TERMINAL LEAFLET: medium ovate, acute tip, obtuse to cordate base, absent or very low frequency of coalescence of terminal and lateral leaflets
LATERAL LEAFLETS: medium size, narrowly ovate, acute tip, obtuse to cordate base, moderately deep veins, weak waviness of margins, medium glossiness, no pubescence on blade (at apical rosette), moderate presence of secondary leaflets

INFLORESCENCE: small to medium, moderate flowering profusion, buds fairly persistent, weak anthocyanin in buds
COROLLA: medium to large, red-violet colour, moderate anthocyanin on inner surface, moderately prominent star
PEDUNCLE: anthocyanin absent to very weak

TUBER: oval to oblong shape, eyes intermediate to deep and evenly distributed, eyebrows moderately prominent, white flesh with no secondary colour
SKIN: red, red at base of eye, medium anthocyanin when exposed to light, smooth to rough texture

LIGHT SPROUT: large, narrow cylindrical, moderate number of root tips, short lateral roots
BASE: weak to medium anthocyanin, absent or low proportion of blue, sparse pubescence
TIP: smaller than base, open habit, anthocyanin weak to moderate, moderate pubescence.

Origin & Breeding History: 'BC Reds' originated from a single plant discovered in a field in Chetwynd, British Columbia, by the applicant in 1991. The field had been planted with 'Norgold Russet' and one row of an unknown red potato variety planted in between the rows. The plant of the new variety was noticed to produce large, long, narrow tubers. The variety was propagated over the next four years and found to be uniform and stable.

Tests & Trials: Trials for 'BC Reds' were conducted in Drummond, New Brunswick in 2005. A 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 metres long 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 'BC Reds' with reference varieties 'Norland' and 'Sangre'

Colour of corolla (RHS)

Click on image for larger view

Potato: 'BC Reds' (center) with reference varieties 'Sangre' (left) and 'Norland' (right)