Performance of advanced potato clones: plant vigor, tuber yield and specific gravity

The aim of this work was to evaluate the performance of advanced potato clones for plant vigor, tuber yield components and specific gravity. Two sets of advanced clones and two control cultivars broadly grown in Brazil were compared. The first set, formed by 11 clones, was evaluated in the spring season of 2010, and the second, constituted by six clones, in the autumn season of 2011, in Canoinhas, Santa Catarina State, Brazil. The design of both experiments was a randomized complete block with four replications of two rows of 10 plants each. Plant vigor, tuber yield components and specific gravity were evaluated. The data of each experiment were submitted to analysis of variance and grouping means. Plant vigor was highly influenced by the environment. In the first set, 2197-15 and CL02-05 were the best clones for tuber yield traits. '2197-15' presented potential for processing and fresh market, with high plant vigor, whereas 'CL02-05' showed potential only for fresh market, and less vigorous plants. In the second set, again the outstanding clone was CL02-05.