Obama

Potato

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Yukon Gold'

Summary: The shape of the lightsprout of 'Obama' is broad cylindrical whereas the lightsprout of 'Yukon Gold' is ovoid. The base of the lightsprout of 'Obama' has medium intensity of anthocyanin colouration whereas the base of the lightsprout of 'Yukon Gold' has strong intensity of anthocyanin colouration. The tip of the lightsprout of 'Obama' has sparse pubescence whereas the tip of the lightsprout of 'Yukon Gold' has medium density of pubescence. The lightsprout of 'Obama' has a medium number of root tips whereas the lightsprout of 'Yukon Gold' has few root tips. The plants of 'Obama' are shorter than the plants of 'Yukon Gold'. The leaf outline of 'Obama' is of medium size whereas the leaf outline of 'Yukon Gold' is large. The upper side of the leaf of 'Obama' is medium green whereas the leaf blade of 'Yukon Gold' is light green. At the apical rosette, the leaflet blade of 'Obama' is pubescent whereas the leaflet blade of 'Yukon Gold' is glabrous. The extent of anthocyanin colouration on the peduncle is absent or very low for 'Obama' whereas the extent is low on 'Yukon Gold'. The anthocyanin colouration on the inner side of the corolla of 'Obama' is of absent or very weak intensity and absent or very low extent whereas the anthocyanin colouration is of medium intensity and high extent for 'Yukon Gold'. The shape of the tuber of 'Obama' is oval to long oval whereas the shape of the tuber of 'Yukon Gold' is short oval.

Description:

LIGHTSPROUT: small to medium size, broad cylindrical shape, medium number of root tips, short lateral shoots
LIGHTSPROUT BASE: medium intensity of anthocyanin colouration, absent or low to medium proportion of blue in anthocyanin colouration, dense pubescence
LIGHTSPROUT TIP: small in relation to base, closed habit, absent or very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration, sparse pubescence

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

STEM: low to medium extent of anthocyanin colouration halfway up stem

LEAF: medium size outline, intermediate to open, medium green upper side, absent or very low extent and absent or very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration of upper side of midrib, medium presence of secondary leaflets, absent or very low frequency of coalescence of terminal and lateral leaflets
SECOND PAIR OF LATERAL LEAFLETS: leaflet is large and narrower than long
LEAFLET: weak waviness of margin, medium depth of veins, dull to medium degree of glossiness of upper side, pubescent blade at apical rosette

INFLORESCENCE: medium frequency per plant, small to medium size
PEDUNCLE: absent or very low extent of anthocyanin colouration
FLOWER BUD: absent or very low extent of anthocyanin colouration
COROLLA: medium to large
COROLLA (INNER SIDE): absent or very low extent of anthocyanin colouration, absent or very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration, absent or low proportion of blue in anthocyanin colouration

TUBER: oval to long oval shape, light yellow flesh
TUBER EYE: shallow, yellow at base
TUBER SKIN: yellow, develops medium intensity of anthocyanin colouration in reaction to light

Origin & Breeding History: 'Obama' originated from a cross between the selection 'FOB1992-120-009', as the female parent, and the variety 'Carrera', as the male parent, conducted in 2001, at the Fobek B.V. Breeding Station in Sint Annaparochie, Netherlands. From the resulting progeny, 'Obama' was selected in 2003 based on negative mass selection for agronomic characteristics and disease resistances.

Tests & Trials: The comparative test and trial for 'Obama' was conducted by Global Agri Services Inc. during the growing season of 2017 in Drummond, New Brunswick. There were 70 plants each of the candidate and reference variety. The trial consisted of a single, 21.2 metre long row with plants spaced 0.3 metres apart for each variety. The distance between rows within the trial was 0.9 metres. The observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants, or 10 parts of plants, of each variety. The mean difference was significant at the 5% probability level based on a paired Student's t-test.

Comparison table for 'Obama' with reference variety 'Yukon Gold'

Plant height (cm)

Click on image for larger view

Potato: 'Obama' (left) with reference variety 'Yukon Gold' (right)