NCORNSP-031SHMG

Sweet Potato

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'SolarPower Red Heart'

Summary: The plants of ‘NCORNSP-031SHMG' are taller than those of ‘SolarPower Red Heart'. The plants of ‘NCORNSP-031SHMG' have a medium number of branches whereas those of ‘SolarPower Red Heart' have many branches. The tip of the stem of ‘NCORNSP-031SHMG' has dense pubescence whereas ‘SolarPower Red Heart' has absent or sparse pubescence. The leaf blade and petiole of ‘NCORNSP-031SHMG' are shorter than that of ‘SolarPower Red Heart'. The leaf blade of ‘NCORNSP-031SHMG' has no lobes whereas ‘SolarPower Red Heart' has lobing ranging from very shallow to moderately deep. When fully opened and excluding the anthocyanin colouration, the upper side of the leaf blade of ‘NCORNSP-031SHMG' is a slightly different dark brown than ‘SolarPower Red Heart'.

Description:

PLANT: growth habit ranging from semi-upright to spreading, medium number of branches

STEM: purple, medium thickness, absent or weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration at tip, dense pubescence on tip
INTERNODE: strong intensity of anthocyanin colouration
NODE: strong intensity of anthocyanin colouration on node

PETIOLE: strong intensity of anthocyanin colouration
LEAF BLADE (YOUNG): light green (RHS N144A) on upper side
LEAF BLADE: triangular shape, no lobes, entire margin
LEAF BLADE (UPPER SIDE): dark brown (lighter than RHS 187A) when fully opened, strong intensity of anthocyanin colouration, large extent of strong anthocyanin colouration along abaxial veins
LEAF BLADE (LOWER SIDE): dark purple (lighter than RHS N79B)

Origin & Breeding History: ‘NCORNSP-031SHMG' originated from a conventional cross between the two proprietary breeding lines ‘NC9045-003ORN' as the female parent and ‘NC9916-001ORN' as the male parent. The cross was conducted at North Carolina State University, Horticultural Field Laboratory Greenhouses, in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA between October 2019 and February 2020. The new variety ‘NCORNSP-031SHMG' was selected from the progeny on September 25, 2020, at the Horticultural Crops Research Station in Clinton, North Carolina, USA based on growth habit, internode length, leaf colour and leaf shape.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial of ‘NCORNSP-031SHMG' was conducted in a polyhouse during the spring of 2025 at BioFlora Inc., in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial included a total of 15 plants each of the candidate and reference variety. All plants were grown from rooted cuttings and transplanted into 15 cm pots on March 25, 2025. The observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants or 10 parts of plants of each variety on May 20, 2025. The mean differences were significant at the 5% probability level based on a paired Student's t-test. All colour determinations were made using the 2015 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'NCORNSP-031SHMG' with reference variety 'SolarPower Red Heart'

Plant height (cm)

Petiole length (cm)

Leaf blade length (cm)

Leaf blade colour (excluding anthocyanin colouration) (RHS)

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Sweet Potato: ‘NCORNSP-031SHMG' (left) with reference variety ‘SolarPower Red Heart' (right)

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Sweet Potato: ‘NCORNSP-031SHMG' (left) with reference variety ‘SolarPower Red Heart' (right)

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Sweet Potato: ‘NCORNSP-031SHMG' (left) with reference variety ‘SolarPower Red Heart' (right)