Marta

Potato

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Queen Anne'

Summary: The base of the lightsprout of ‘Marta' has a very weak to weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration while that of ‘Queen Anne' has a medium to strong intensity of anthocyanin colouration. In the relation to the base, the lightsprout apex of ‘Marta' is very small while that of ‘Queen Anne' is small. The lightsprout of ‘Marta' has a medium number of root tips while that of ‘Queen Anne' has few root tips. The plants of ‘Marta' have a semi-upright to spreading growth habit while those of ‘Queen Anne' have a semi-upright growth habit. The stem of ‘Marta' has an absent or very low extent of anthocyanin colouration while that of ‘Queen Anne' has a medium extent of anthocyanin colouration. The plants of ‘Marta' have very few to few very small inflorescences while those of ‘Queen Anne' have a medium number of medium sized inflorescences. The plants of ‘Marta' are taller than those of ‘Queen Anne'.

Description:

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

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

STEM: absent or very low extent of anthocyanin colouration

LEAF: medium size, free arrangement of leaflets, medium number of secondary leaflets, dark green upper side, absent or very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration on upper side of midrib
SECOND PAIR OF LATERAL LEAFLETS: medium width in relation to length
TERMINAL AND LATERAL LEAFLETS: high frequency of coalescence

INFLORESCENCE: very small
PEDUNCLE: absent or very low extent of anthocyanin colouration
FLOWER BUD: absent or very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration
COROLLA: medium size 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: oval, light yellow flesh
TUBER EYE: shallow, yellow at base
TUBER SKIN: yellow, smooth texture

Origin & Breeding History: 'Marta' (experimental designation 11-025-2) originated from the cross between the varieties ‘Verona', as the female parent, and ‘Alegria', as the male parent, conducted at the SaKa Planzenzucht GmbH & Co. KG Research and Development Facility in Windeby, SH, Germany in 2010. The new variety was designated 11-025-2 in 2012 based on negative mass selection for agronomic characteristics including yield, tuber number, tuber appearance, depth of tuber eyes, plant height as well as disease resistances.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'Marta' 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 'Marta' with reference variety 'Queen Anne'

Plant height (cm)

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Potato: ‘Marta' (left) with reference variety ‘Queen Anne' (right)