Principles of Plant Genetics and Breeding

6 Potato tuber quality improvement. Potatoes are
sold for the fresh market (for baking or cooking)
or processed (chipped, frozen, starch, alcohol). The
quality standards differ according to the product or
end use. Long-term storage is a major aspect of
marketing potatoes for chip processing. The reducing
sugar content of the tuber should be low to
avoid browning of chips (caramelization) during
Jewell, L.D. 1988. Agricultural statistics 1987. US Department
of Agriculture, Washington, DC.
Page, O.T. 1982. Utilization of the genetic resources of the
potato, III. International Potato Center, Lima, Peru.
Ross, H. 1986. Potato breeding – Problems and perspectives:
Part A
Please answer the following questions true or false:
BREEDING POTATO 545
References and suggested reading
Outcomes assessment
1 Potato originated in India.
2 Potato is cool season crop.
3 Cultivated potatoes are tetraploids.
4 High reducing sugar levels are desired for chipping potatoes.
Part B
Please answer the following questions:
preparation. Many cultivars have a low temperature
sweetening potential, making them unsuitable for
chip processing. Cultivars are being developed that
will not accumulate reducing sugars at colder storage.
High solids are also desired in potato breeding.
Cultivars with high solids have been developed by
genetic engineering procedures using the AGPase
gene.
Advances in plant breeding. Journal of Plant Breeding
Supplement 13. Paul Parey, Berlin and Hamburg.
Talburt, W.F. 1987. History of potato processing. In: Potato
Processing, 4th edn (Talburt, W.F., and O. Smith, eds),
pp. 1–10. Van Nostrand, New York.
1 Exposure of potato tubers to light promotes the formation of a toxic alkaloid called …………………………..
2 Potato bears fruits called ………………………………
3 Give three major diseases and insect pests of potato.
Part C
Please write a brief essay on each of the following topics:
1 Discuss the artificial pollination of potato.
2 Discuss the importance of temperature adaptation in potato production.
3 Discuss the common potato breeding methods.