Resumo

GONZALEZ, Lourdes et al. Evaluation of true seed of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) progenies in Mérida State, Venezuela. Bioagro [online]. 2010, vol.22, n.3, pp.229-234. ISSN 1316-3361.

The potato propagation by using true seed is an important alternative technology to produce seed tuber at lower cost, allowing the sowing under different management conditions, with benefits to transportation and storing. Two experiments were established to evaluate the production of seed tuber from true potato seed in beds and to characterize yield and culinary quality of first and second generation tubers at two locations of Mérida State, Venezuela. The first trial was conducted with the progenies MF-IIxTPS-67, TPS-25xTPS-13, TPS-25xTPS-67, AchiranaxTS-4, and AchiranaxTPS-67, from the International Potato Center. Sowing took place in seed beds to evaluate the production of seed tubers. The second trial aimed the evaluation of yield of first and second generation tubers. The best progeny in seed beds was AchiranaxTPS-67 with 1674 tubers·m^-2. In Mucuchíes (3,100 m above sea level) TPS-25xTPS-13 and AchiranaxTS4 were relevant (yields above 30 t·ha^-1) thus surpassing the control variety Tibisay (16 t·ha^-1), while in Musurao (3790 m above sea level) progenies TPS-25xTPS67 and AchiranaxTPS-67 showed a good performance, without differences with the control variety, which had the best yield. In the fried test for the production of potato flakes, the progeny TPS-25xTPS-13 showed some potential importance.

Palavras-chave : Botanical seeds; mini-tubers; culinary quality.