Blue Belle

Potato

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Kennebec'

Summary: 'Blue Belle' has a small lightsprout whereas 'Kennebec' has a medium to large sized lightsprout. The intensity of anthocyanin colouration at the base and tip of the lightsprout are very strong for 'Blue Belle' whereas the intensity is weak at the base and absent or very weak at the tip for 'Kennebec'. The extent of anthocyanin colouration is high along the entire stem for 'Blue Belle' whereas it is absent for 'Kennebec'. On the upper side of the midrib of the leaf, the extent of the anthocyanin colouration is high and the intensity is medium for 'Blue Belle' whereas the extent of the anthocyanin colouration is absent or very low and the intensity is absent or very weak in 'Kennebec'. The extent of the anthocyanin colouration on the flower bud and inner side of the corolla is very high for 'Blue Belle' whereas it is absent or very low in 'Kennebec'. The intensity of the anthocyanin colouration on the inner side of the corolla is medium for 'Blue Belle' whereas it is absent or very low in 'Kennebec'. 'Blue Belle' has a taller plant height than that of 'Kennebec'. The base of the eye of the tuber of 'Blue Belle' is blue whereas it is yellow on 'Kennebec'.

Description:

LIGHTSPROUT: small size, spherical, root tips few in numbers, short lateral shoots
LIGHTSPROUT BASE: very strong intensity of anthocyanin colouration, high proportion of blue in the anthocyanin colouration, medium pubescence
LIGHTSPROUT TIP: large size in relation to base, closed habit, very strong intensity of anthocyanin colouration, medium pubescence

PLANT: foliage structure is an intermediate type where foliage is half open and stems are partly visible, semi-upright growth habit, late maturity

STEM: high extent of anthocyanin colouration along the entire stem

LEAF: medium outline, open, medium green colour, high extent and medium intensity of anthocyanin colouration on the midrib of the upper side
SECOND PAIR OF LATERAL LEAFLETS: medium size, narrower than long width in relation to length
LEAFLETS: medium presence of secondary leaflets, absent or very low frequency of coalescence of terminal and lateral leaflets, absent or very weak waviness of margin, medium depth of veins, medium glossiness of upper side, pubescence on blade at apical rosette

INFLORESCENCE: medium to high frequency per plant, medium size, high extent of anthocyanin colouration on peduncle
FLOWER BUD: very high extent of anthocyanin colouration
COROLLA: large size, very high extent and medium intensity of anthocyanin colouration on the inner side, medium proportion of blue in the anthocyanin colouration

TUBER: oval shape, cream to light yellow flesh
TUBER EYE: shallow depth, blue at base
TUBER SKIN: yellow, absent or very weak anthocyanin colouration in reaction to light

Origin & Breeding History: The variety 'Blue Belle' originated from a cross between 'Sylvia' as the female parent and 'Cara' as the male parent, made at Châteauneuf-du-Faou, France in 1996. Seed of the cross was sown, transplanted into 9 cm pots and grown in the greenhouse during the spring of 1997. One tuber was harvested and planted in the field in 1998. Four tubers were harvested and in 1999 four hill plots were planted from which 30 tubers were harvested. In 2000, 18 seed tubers were planted in the field for seed production and 8 tubers were planted in north Portugal for testing. From 2001 to 2004, testing was conducted in France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Cyprus, Morocco, Tunisia and Germany. Further evaluations were conducted in Israel and Egypt in 2005 to 2007. Criteria used in the selection process included pest resistance, yield, cooking and frying quality, dry matter content, storability and visual impression.

Tests & Trials: Trials for 'Blue Belle' were conducted during the 2013 growing season in Drummond, New Brunswick. Each variety plot consisted of 60 plants grown in a single row with a row length of 18.5 metres and a row spacing of 0.9 metres between rows. Plants were spaced 0.30 metres apart. The measured characteristics were based on 10 measurements per variety. Mean differences were significant at the 5% probability level based on a paired Student's t-test.

Comparison table for 'Blue Belle' with reference variety 'Kennebec'

Plant height (cm)

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Potato: 'Blue Belle' (left) with reference variety 'Kennebec' (right)