Lady Alicia

Potato

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Snowden' and 'Sound'

Summary: The base of the lightsprout of ‘Lady Alicia' is ovoid while that of ‘Sound' is broad cylindrical. The base of the lightsprout of ‘Lady Alicia' has a medium intensity of anthocyanin colouration while base of the lightsprout of ‘Snowden' has an abent or very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration and that of ‘Sound' has a very strong intensity of anthocyanin colouration. The base of the lightsprout of ‘Lady Alicia' has an absent or low proportion of blue in the anthocyanin colouration while that of ‘Sound' has a high proportion of blue in the anthocyanin colouration. The base of the lightsprout of ‘Lady Alicia' has dense pubescence while the base of the lightsprout of ‘Snowden' has sparse to a medium density of pubescence and that of ‘Sound' has a medium density of pubescence. The lightsprout of ‘Lady Alicia' has a medium number of root tips while that of ‘Snowden' has many root tips. The plants of ‘Lady Alicia' have a semi-upright to spreading growth habit while those of ‘Sound' have an upright to semi-upright growth habit. The stem of ‘Lady Alicia' has an absent or very low extent of anthocyanin colouration while that of ‘Sound' has a low extent of anthocyanin colouration. The plants of ‘Lady Alicia' have many medium sized inflorescences while the plants of ‘Snowden' have very few to few very small inflorescences and those of ‘Sound' have a medium number of small inflorescences. The plants of ‘Lady Alicia' are shorter than those of ‘Snowden' and ‘Sound'. The plants of ‘Lady Alicia' mature mid- season while the plants of ‘Snowden' mature late in the season and those of ‘Sound' mature late to very late in the season. The tuber of ‘Lady Alicia' is short oval with eyes of a medium depth while the tuber of ‘Snowden' is round with deep eyes and that of ‘Sound' is long oval with very shallow to shallow eyes. The tuber skin of ‘Lady Alicia' is light yellow brown and of a medium texture while that of ‘Sound' is yellow and of a smooth texture. The tuber of ‘Lady Alicia' has light yellow flesh while the tuber of ‘Snowden' has white flesh and that of ‘Sound' has medium yellow flesh.

Description:

LIGHTSPROUT: small to medium in size, medium number of root tips, short lateral shoots
LIGHTSPROUT BASE: ovoid, medium intensity of anthocyanin colouration, absent or low proportion of blue in anthocyanin colouration, dense pubescence
LIGHTSPROUT APEX: medium size in relation to base, intermediate habit, absent or very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration, sparse to a medium density of pubescence

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

STEM: absent or very low extent of anthocyanin colouration

LEAF: medium size, touching arrangement of leaflets, few secondary leaflets, medium green upper side, absent or very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration on upper side of midrib
SECOND PAIR OF LATERAL LEAFLETS: very narrow to narrow in relation to length
TERMINAL AND LATERAL LEAFLETS: absent or very low frequency of coalescence

INFLORESCENCE: medium size
PEDUNCLE: absent or very low extent of anthocyanin colouration
FLOWER BUD: absent or very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration
COROLLA: medium to large diameter
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: short oval, light yellow flesh
TUBER EYE: medium depth, yellow at base
TUBER SKIN: light yellow brown, medium texture

Origin & Breeding History: 'Lady Alicia' (experimental designation CMK2008-035-009) originated from the cross between the varieties ‘PIROL', as the female parent and ‘Pike', as the male parent, conducted at the C. Meijer breeding station in Rilland, the Netherlands in 2007. The new variety was designated CMK2008-035-009 in 2009 based on negative mass selection for agronomic characteristics including chipping quality, yield, storage quality, dry matter content as well as disease resistances.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'Lady Alicia' was conducted by Global Agri Services Inc. in Central Blissville, New Brunswick during the 2025 growing season. The field trial consisted of a single 16-metre-long row for each variety, with rows spaced 1.1 metres apart. Each row contained 70 plants spaced 0.23 metres apart. Measurements were taken from 10 plants, or 10 parts of plants, of each variety. The mean differences were significant at the 5% confidence probability level based on a paired Student's t-test. Lightsprout characteristics were assessed on 10 tubers harvested from the comparative trial and observed approximately 2.5 to 3 months after sprouting was promoted by exposing the tubers to an external agent.

Comparison table for 'Lady Alicia' with reference varieties 'Snowden' and 'Sound'

Plant height (cm)

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Potato: ‘Lady Alicia' (left) with reference varieties ‘Sound' (centre) and ‘Snowden' (right)