Belle d'août

Potato

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Envol'

Summary: The plants of 'Belle d'août' are taller than 'Envol'. The leaf silhouette of 'Belle d'août' is open whereas it is intermediate in the reference variety. The shape of the terminal leaflet is narrowly ovate for 'Belle d'août' whereas it is broadly ovate for 'Envol'. 'Belle d'août' has more and larger inflorescences than the reference variety. The corolla of 'Belle d'août' is larger than 'Envol'. The tuber of 'Belle d'août' is light beige with medium anthocyanin colouration in reaction to light whereas it is white with strong anthocyanin colouration in reaction to light in the reference variety. The light sprout of 'Belle d'août' has an ovoid shape whereas is spherical for 'Envol'. 'Belle d'août' has a light sprout tip with an open habit, weak anthocyanin colouration and sparse pubescence whereas it is a closed habit, medium anthocyanin colouration with strong pubescence for 'Envol'. 'Belle d'août' has more root tips and shorter lateral shoots than the reference variety.

Description:

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

STEM: medium to strong anthocyanin colouration, medium to thick main stem, medium to high swelling at nodes

LEAVES: medium green, open silhouette, no anthocyanin colouration in rachis and petiole, medium presence of secondary leaflets
TERMINAL LEAFLET: narrowly ovate, acuminate tip, cordate base
LATERAL LEAFLET: medium size, narrowly ovate, acuminate tip, cordate base

INFLORESCENCE: intermediate flowering profusion, medium size
COROLLA: white, no anthocyanin colouration on inner surface, medium size, prominent star, no anthocyanin in
peduncle

TUBER: round, white flesh with no secondary colour
TUBER EYES: shallow, predominantly apical distributed, slight prominence of eyebrows
TUBER SKIN: light beige, white at base of eye, medium anthocyanin colouration in reaction to light, smooth texture

LIGHT SPROUT: medium size, ovoid shape, medium number of root tips, medium length lateral shoots
BASE: strong anthocyanin colouration, medium blue in anthocyanin colouration, strong pubescence
TIP: equal to base in size, open habit, weak anthocyanin colouration, sparse pubescence

QUALITY: medium specific gravity

Origin & Breeding History: 'Belle d'août' is the result of the cross between 'Brise du Nord' (female parent) and the hybrid 'QP88147.03' (male parent) that was made in 1996 at the Centre de la recherche Les Buissons, Pointe-aux-Outardes, Québec. The variety is characterized by its appearance and tuber uniformity.

Tests & Trials: Trials for 'Belle d'août' were conducted during the summer of 2008 at Pointe-aux-Outardes, Québec. There were two replicates of 200 tubers spaced 25 cm apart.

Comparison table for 'Belle d'août' with reference variety 'Envol'

Plant height (cm)

Click on image for larger view

Potato: 'Belle d'août' (right) with reference variety 'Envol' (left)