Strategy and status of potato breeding program and variety release protocol in India

S K Luthra Principal Scientist

Potato• Belongs to the family Solanaceae

• The genus Solanum comprises 8 cultivated species and 2000 wild relatives

• About 235 Solanum species tuberize

• The basic chromosome number of the genus Solanum is x = 12

• Ploidy level of potato species varies from 2x to 6x

• 73 % diploids, 4 % triploids, 15 % tetraploids , 2 % pentaploids and 6 % hexaploids

• Main tuber-bearing species: S. tuberosum ssp. tuberosum and S. tuberosum ssp. andigena

• seven primitive cultivated species:

Solanum ajanhuiri, Solanum goniocalyx, Solanum phureja and Solanum stenototum (all diploids);

Solanum chaucha and Solanum juzepczukii (triploid);

Solanum curtilobum (pentaploid)

European varieties were not successful in India• The introduced European varieties were long-day adapted• The multiplication of these varieties in Indian conditions was

accompanied by progressive accumulation of degenerative viral diseases

• Physiological limitations on tuber storage and utilization in hot/humid Indian summers

• Originated in the environs of Lake Titicaca in the high Andean region of South America probably 10,000 years ago.

• Till 16th century it was unknown to the people of Europe, Asia, Africa and north America.

• Now potatoes became one of the most important food crop of the world after rice, wheat and maize.

• Potatoes are being grown in wide variety of soils and climate in nearly 150 countries.

• Introduced into India in the mid 17th century by Portuguese traders or British missionaries.

Potatoes

Agro-climatic conditions of growing potatoes in sub-tropical and temperate conditions

ParametersParameters IndiaIndia Europe/AmericaEurope/America

Growing seasonGrowing season WinterWinter SummerSummer

Temperature during planting and harvesting

High Planting: 25-320CHarvesting: 10-200C

Low Planting: (15-250C)Harvesting: Less than 200C

Day & night temp. during Day & night temp. during crop seasoncrop season

Day : 25-32 Day : 25-32 00C C Night : 3-15 Night : 3-15 00CC

Day : 20-25 Day : 20-25 00C C Night : 5-20 Night : 5-20 00CC

Crop duration (d)Crop duration (d) Short (60-100)Short (60-100) Long (150-180)Long (150-180)

PhotoperiodPhotoperiod 10 hrs/day10 hrs/day 14 hrs/day14 hrs/day

FrostingFrosting CommonCommon AbsentAbsent

Post harvest handlingPost harvest handling Difficult (high temps.) Difficult (high temps.) Easy (low temps.)Easy (low temps.)

ResultResult Low yields, less dry Low yields, less dry matter, and more reducing matter, and more reducing sugarssugars

High yields, high dry High yields, high dry matter, and low reducing matter, and low reducing sugarssugars

Indigenous and exotic potato varieties/samples in India (Pushkarnath, 1969)

Indigenous varieties/samples Salient features

Agra Red, Chamba Red, Coonoor White, Coonoor Red, Darjeeling Red Round, Desi, Dhantauri, Gola Type A, Gola Type B, Gola Type C, Phulwa, Phulwa Purple Splashed, Red Long Kidney, Sathoo, Shan and Silbilati

Heat and drought tolerant, therefore cultivated predominantly in the Indian plains; tolerant to degenerative viruses; due to physiological advantage can be stored in country stores during hot Indian summers

Exotic varieties Salient features

Ally, Arran Counsal, Ben Cruachan, Craig’s Defiance, Dunbar Cavalier, Great Scot, Italian White Round, Late Carman, Magnum Bonum, Majestic, Northern Star, President, Raeburn’s Gregor Cups, Red Rock, Royal Kidney and Up-to-Date

Long-day adopted; therefore suitable for the Indian hills only; multiplication was characterized with progressive accumulation of degenerative viral diseases; physiological limitation on tuber storage and utilization in hot Indian summers

Potato breeding development in India• In India, potato breeding programme was initiated in 1935 at the Potato

Breeding Station, Shimla.

• Regular breeding programme was started in 1949 with the establishment of the Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI) at Patna, Bihar.

• Headquarter of the CPRI was later on shifted to Shimla (1956) in order to facilitate hybridization and maintenance of seed health.

• The major breakthrough in potato improvement programme came in 1963 with the development of “Seed Plot Technique”, which made it possible to raise, evaluate, select and multiply breeding material under disease free conditions in plains.

• This led to the development of a system, wherein crossing was attempted in the hills and raising of seedling, evaluation and maintenance of segregating population was done in the plains.

• This approach yielded rich dividends both for potato improvement and potato seed production in the country.

• All varieties released by the CPRI carry the prefix ‘KUFRI’ as a memento to the place of hybridization.

Potato growing regions in IndiaPotato growing regions in India

Potato growing regions and their varietal requirements in India

Region States Potato seasons Varietal requirement

ZONES

North Indian Plains

North Western Plains

Haryana, Punjab and Rajsthan

Autumn (October –January/February) Spring (Jan – April//May)

Short day adapted, early bulking, moderately resistant to late blight and frost, slow rate of degeneration.

North Central Plains

Northwestern districts of Madhya Pradesh and western Uttar Pradesh

Autumn (October - February)

Short day adapted, medium maturing, moderately resistant to late blight, slow rate of degeneration.

North Eastern Plains

Plains of Assam, Bihar, North eastern Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Eastern Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal

Autumn (November - March)

Short day adapted, early bulking, moderately resistant to late blight, slow rate of degeneration, red skinned medium to small sized tubers (Bihar, MP, Orissa and UP) or white medium tubers (Assam and West Bengal).

Region States Potato seasons Varietal requirement

ZONES

North Indian Hills

North Western Hills

Southern Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh

Summer (April- September)

Long day adapted, resistant to late blight.

North Central Hills

Hills of Uttarakhand Summer (April – August /September)

Long day adapted, resistant to late blight and bacterial wilt.

North Eastern Hills

Hills of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura

SpringJanuary/February- May/June) Autumn (August – November /December)

Long day adapted, resistant to late blight and bacterial wilt.

SPECIAL PROBLEM AREAS

North Bengal Hills and Sikkim

North Bengal hills and Sikkim

Autumn (September - December); Spring (January - June)

Medium maturing, resistant to late blight, immune to wart, red skinned tubers.

Plateau Region and peninsular India

Southern parts of Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Orissa

Kharif (July - September) and Rabi (November - February)

Early bulking, ability to tuberise under high temperatures, resistant to bacterial wilt, tuber moth and mites, slow rate of degeneration.

South Indian Hills

Hills of Tamil Nadu Summer (April - Augt); Autumn (Sept - Dec)Spring (Jan-May)

Early bulking, resistant to late blight and cyst nematodes.

Potato Breeding• Cultivated potato is tetraploid and highly heterozygous.

• Heterosis is observed on crossing diverse parents.

• Breeding of potato involves hybridization between identified parents and selection of superior clones from the progeny.

• The genetic constitution of the genotype obtained following hybridization is fixed in seedling stage.

• Due to vegetative propagation the genetic constitution of potato genotype with all its intra- and inter-locus interactions responsible for its phenotypic expression are maintained in the clonal generations.

• Hence, a clone if perceived desirable can be multiplied for commercial cultivation even though initially it may be present as a single plant.

GERMPLASM COLLECTION/EVALUATION Collection Field/Glass house maintenance Evaluation Selection for• Vigorous plant type• Short duration• Desirable tuber attributes • Early bulking• High tuber yield, tuber number & average tuber

weight• High dry matter• Good keeping quality• Processing attributes• Late blight resistance

SELECTION OF PARENTS• The potato breeding programmes depends

mainly on the identification of promising parental lines for making desired crosses and selection of superior genotypes from the progenies.

• More than 50 traits should combine in ideal potato variety and this complicates the choice of parents for production of such progeny.

Requirement of potato varieties for different purposes (Luthra et al., 2004)

Characters Use requirements

Table potatoes Processing

Boiled Baking French fries Chips

Tuber shape Long-oval/round Long-oval/round Long-oval (>3 inch) Round (2.5-3.3 inch)

Skin color White/yellow/red White/yellow /red White/ yellow White/ yellow

Eye depth Shallow/ medium Shallow/ medium Shallow Shallow

Flesh color White/yellow White/yellow White/ yellow White/ yellow

Texture Waxy Mealy Mealy Mealy

Uniformity High High High High

Defects Minimum Minimum Minimum Minimum

Dry matter (%) 18-20 >20 >20 >20

Reducing sugars* - - <200mg <100mg

Phenols Less Less Less Less

Glycoalkaloids * < 15mg < 15mg < 15mg < 15mg

Keeping quality Good Good Good Good

Damage resistance

High High High High

*mg/100g fresh tuber weight

Biochemical attributes

Quality requirements for processing

Morphological attributes

ShapeSizeInternal defectsExternal defects

Dry matterReducing sugarsPhenol contents (below 0.02 %)

Tuber shape and size are important for Chips and French Fries, however, they are not important for flakes, granules and dice/cubes.

High dry matter content (>20%) in potato tubers results in higher yield of processed products with lower energy and lesser oil consumption.

Low reducing sugars (<0.1% on Fresh wt basis) results in lighter and better colour of processed products.

No enzymatic browning The glycoalkaloid content should be <20 mg/100 g Fresh wt

QUALITY REQUIREMENTS FOR QUALITY REQUIREMENTS FOR DIFFERENT PRODUCTSDIFFERENT PRODUCTS

Potato powder : High dry matter (>20%)

Potato Flakes : High dry matter content

(>20%)

Frozen French fries : Shape: Oblong, Size: >

3 inches, Dry matter : >20%, Reducing

Sugars: < 0.02%

Chips : Shape: Round, Size: 50-

90mm, Dry matter : >20%, Reducing Sugars :

<0.1%

Alcohol : Even potato wastes can

be used

Potato Genetic Resources

Indian varieties/hybrids 285

Exotic Tuberosum:

Andigena:1750803 (core: 78)

Wild Species 1082 of 118 species

Total 3924

Nearly 14,000 accessions in CIP gene bank

Nearly 6000 accessions in US potato gene bank

Nearly 1500 accessions in Commonwealth potato collection

Temperate long days (hills)• Yield and LB resistance CP nos: 1187, 1890, 1932, 1982, 2001, 2003, 2030, 2159, 2173, 2180,

2399, 3171 and 3290• Early maturity and LB resistance CP nos. 1346, 1382, 1604, 1664*, 1670*, 1718* 1724 and 2018 (* immune to PVX & PVY)

Sub-tropical short days (plains)• Early autumn CP nos. 1588, 1691, 1685,1850, 2058, 2284, 2287, 2351, 2364, 2368,

2369, 2378 and 3359• Main autumn CP nos. 1921, 1985, 2287, 2292, 2294, 2297, 2298, 2337, 2340, 3414,

3421, 3453, 3756, 3763 and 3764, • Spring CP nos. 1588, 2052, 2058 ,2172, 2379, 2391 and 2392

Potential parents for general breeding programmes

Potential parents for specific breeding programmes

• Processing

CP nos. 1940, 3154, 3204, 3354, 3355 and 3361• Cyst nematodes

CP nos. 1515, 1843, 2044, 2062, 2066, 2163, 3091 , 3206, 3365, 3366 and 3448

• Viruses

CP1358, 1441, 1457, 1613, 1664, 1670, 1832, 1970, 1971 and 3534• Keeping quality

CP nos. 1457, 1460, 1647, 1649 , 1652, 3153, 3194, 3195 and 3592

Andigena• Adaptability

JEX/A nos 15, 101, 131, 178, 200, 283, 319, 455, 457, 1048, 1063, 1083, 1144, 1204 & 1205

Sources of resistance to various diseases in wild potato species

Diseases Sources

Viruses - PVX S. acaule, S. berthaultii, S. tuberosum subsp. andigena

PVY S. phureja, S. demissum, S. stoloniferum

PLRV S. acaule, S. demissum, S. tuberosum subsp. andigena

Late blight Vertical S. demissum, S. verrucosum, S. stoloniferum

Horizontal S. berthaultii, S. chacoense, S. microdontum, S. vernei

Wart S. acaule, S. berthaultii.

Common scab S. chacoense, S. tuberosum ssp. andigena

Bacterial wilt S. Chacoense, S. microdontum,

Cyst nematodes S. tuberosum subsp. andigena, S. berthaultii. S. vernei

Root knot nematode S. spegazzinii

Aphids S. berthaultii.

Frost S. acaule, S. ajanhuiri

Heat tolerance S. chacoense, S. commersonii

High protein content S. phureja

FLOWERING IN POTATO

• Availability of ample flowers at proper time with functional male and female parts is an indispensable requirement for hybridization.

• Genotype, day-length and temperature are main factors, which determine the flowering and fruiting in potatoes.

• Though flower primordia of potato can arise in total darkness, a photoperiod of 14-18 hours and night temperature of 15 to 20°C favour flower production and berry setting.

• In tropics and sub-tropics, conditions conducive to flowering and fruiting are available only at high altitudes (>1500m above sea level) where crop is grown during summer season.

Flower Induction by extended photoperiod• Under short day conditions, flowering in potato is

achieved through extended photoperiod (LD) of 6 hours

by 250w high pressure sodium vapour lamps. • About 30% genotypes reached up to flowering stage

• Three repeated sprays of GA 50 ppm + IBA 10 ppm + Kinetin 2 ppm at week interval starting from bud initiation stage. enhances the flowering intensity, flowering duration and advances the flowering as well.

• About 70% genotypes reached up to flowering stage.

• However hormonal induced flowering (LD+H) reduces flower vigour and size and in some genotypes abnormal flowers are obtained leading to pollen sterility

Flower Induction by hormonal treatment

Pollen fertility is tested by squashing anthers in 2% aqueous solution of Aceto-carmine

HYBRIDIZATION IN POTATO

(A) Emasculation (B) Pollination (C) Potato berries and (D) Hybrid true potato seed.

Seedling Stage (F1 ) Treatment with Gibbrelic acid @ 1500 ppm for 24 hours if seed is

fresh.

Seed sowing: Last week of September or First week of October

Seed sowing in nursery beds of 10 x 1 meter at 10 cm row spacing

About 150 seeds in row of one meter.

25-30 days age old seedling are transplanted in the field at 60 x 25 cm spacing

Selection in Seedling Stage (F1 )• Seedlings showing viral infection, long stolen, irregular tuber

shape, deep eyes, russetting cracking and undesirable tuber colour are rejected.

• Yield is not considered at this stage for selection.• Five tubers each of the selected one are retained for subsequent

evaluation.• Clonal number is allotted to selected clones like MS/93-1344

Cross: A x B=

MS/13-1 to 100

Cross: B x C

=MS/13-101to 200

Stage Plot size (m2) No of tubers Evaluation (DAP)

Seedling 0.6 x 0.25 Single hill 90 F1C1 0.6 x 1.0 5 60, 75, 90 F1C2 1.2 x 3.0 30 60, 75, 90

F1C3 2.4 x 3.0, 2 rep 120 60, 75, 90

F1C4 4.8 x 3.0, 3 rep 360 60, 75, 90

F1C5 4.8 x 3.0, 8 rep 960 60, 75, 90

F1C6 4.8 x 3.0, 8 rep 960 60, 75, 90

Stages in potato varietal improvement programmeTable potatoes

Year Generation Action Population1 Crossing Parent A x Parent B 1, 00,0002 Seedling Selection based on shape and tuber traits (5 tubers/clone) 1000

3 F1C1 Selection based on specific gravity, shape, size and chip color (20 tubers /clone)

100

4 F1C2 Selection based on shape, size, CC, and DM (60 tubers/hybrids)

25-50

5 F1C3 Replicated row-trial– Selection (200 tuber/hybrid) based on yield, CC, and DM .

10-15

6 F1C4 Replicated trial (4 row plot) –– Selection based on yield, DM, CC, RS and phenols and maturity

5-10

7 F1C5 Replicated trial (5 row plot) –– Selection based on yield, DM, CC, RS and phenols and maturity.

5-10

8 F1C6 Confirmation trial –– Selection based on yield, DM, CC, RS and phenols and maturity.

5-10

9 F1C7 Based on its three years performance the best performing hybrids will be introduced in to AICRP-Potato for

multilocation trials (IVT)

3-5

10 Selection of best hybrid and advanced to AVT 1-211 Identification of new cultivar and recommendation for its

release1

Selection procedure for development of processing cultivars

The potato tubers are grown under non-tuberizing conditions for 30 days (i.e. 240C temperature)

After the plants attain growth, single leaf bud cuttings with one axillary bud each are cut from the 4th to 7th leaf from these plants and is transplanted in the sterilized sand (without nutritional supplement) and treated with the desired temperature under controlled environment

For heat stress, it may be 240C temperature during 12hrs photoperiod. The cuttings are grown for 21 days and at the end of this period these are checked for the formation of sessile tubers, tubers on stolons and only stolon formation at axillary bud and accordingly ranked

Heat Tolerance Screening techniques Heat Tolerance Screening techniques

Potato seedlings showing late blight symptoms after challenge inoculation with P. infestans under controlled conditions (A), detached leaf test (B) and Late blight screening in F1C2 under natural conditions (C).

Late blight screening

INTRODUCTION, EVALUATION IN AICPIP AND RELEASE OF VARIETY

Based on performance of hybrids in PYT, CYT and FYT one or two promising hybrids are proposed for multi-location evaluation in AICRP

Advanced hybrids are evaluated at AICRP centers and results are discussed in AICRP workshop

Best one hybrid if found suitable is recommended for release as variety by AICRP workshop.

Central Variety Release Committee releases and notify the variety recommended by AICRP Workshop.

Varieties Released

CPRI has released 49 potato varieties till date

Two varieties viz. Kufri Safed and Kufri Red are clonal selections from indigenous desi varieties Phulwa and Darjeeling Red Round, respectively.

The remaining 47 varieties are hybrids.

9 varieties are early (70-80 days),

24 are medium (90-100 days)

16 are late (100-110 days) maturing.

44 varieties possess white or yellow skin

5 varieties ie K. Red, K. Sindhuri, K. Lalima, K. Kanchan and K. Arun possess red skin.

Most of these varieties possess resistance/tolerance to major pests and diseases.

The varieties viz. K. Chipsona-1, K. Chipsona-2, K. Chipsona-3, K. Himsona, Kufri Frysona and Kufri Chipsona 4 have been developed for processing.

32 of the 49 varieties released so for are suitable for cultivation in North Indian Plains.

Potato varieties released by CPRI (49)Year Varieties

1958 Kufri Kisan, Kufri Kuber, Kufri Kumar, Kufri Kundan, Kufri Red, Kufri Safed

1963 Kufri Neela

1967 Kufri Sindhuri

1968 Kufri Alankar, Kufri Chamatkar, Kufri Chandramukhi, Kufri Jeevan, Kufri Jyoti, Kufri Khasigaro, Kufri Naveen, Kufri Neelamani, Kufri Sheetman

1971 Kufri Muthu

1972 Kufri Lauvkar

1973 Kufri Dewa

1979 Kufri Badshah

1980 Kufri Bahar

1982 Kufri Lalima

1983 Kufri Sherpa

1985 Kufri Swarna

1989 Kufri Megha

1996 Kufri Jawahar, Kufri Sutlej, Kufri Ashoka

1998 Kufri Pukhraj, Kufri Chipsona-1, Kufri Chipsona-2, Kufri Giriraj

1999 Kufri Anand, Kufri Kanchan

2005 Kufri Arun, Kufri Pushkar, Kufri Shailja

2006 Kufri Surya, Kufri Chipsona-3, Kufri Himalini

2008 Kufri Himsona, Kufri Sadabahar, Kufri Girdhari, Kufri Khyati

2009 Kufri Frysona

2010 Kufri Chipsona-4

2012 Kufri Gaurav, Kufri Garima

Plains

Hills ProcessingEarly Medium Late

Kufri Chandramukhi

Kufri Bahar Kufri Badshah Kufri Jyoti Kufri Chipsona-1

Kufri Bahar Kufri Sutlej Kufri Anand Kufri Swarna Kufri Chipsona-2

Kufri Pukhraj Kufri Pukhraj Kufri Sindhuri Kufri Kanchan Kufri Chipsona-3

Kufri Ashoka Kufri Anand Kufri Giriraj Kufri Himsona

Kufri Surya Kufri Lalima Kufri Shelja Kufri Frysona

Kufri Khyati Kufri Arun Kufri Himalini Kufri Chipsona-4

Kufri Pushkar Kufri Girdhari

Kufri Sadabahar

Kufri Gaurav

Kufri Garima

POTATO VARIETIES FOR INDIAPOTATO VARIETIES FOR INDIA

Kufri Badshah (A), Kufri Bahar (B), Kufri Lalima (C), Kufri Anand (D), Kufri Pushkar (E) and Kufri Garima (F)

Improved potato varieties for plains

Processing varieties

Kufri Frysona

Late blight resistant varieties

Kufri Jyoti (A), Kufri Giriraj (B), Kufri Shailja (C) and Kufri Girdhari (D)

Symptom of wart (A) and wart resistant variety Kufri Kanchan (B)

Potato roots showing nematode cyst (A) & tubers o fPotato

variety Kufri Swarna (B)

Heat tolerant variety Kufri Surya

Challenges addressed during potato breeding in India

• Indigenous table potato varieties

• Late blight resistant varieties

• Cyst nematode varieties-Kufri Swarna

• Wart resistant varieties-Kufri Kanchan

• Processing varieties for chips and French fries.

• Heat tolerant variety-Kufri Surya

Indian potato varieties/ hybrids being grown in other countries

Country Varieties/Hybrids

Afghanistan Kufri Chandramukhi

Nepal Kufri Jyoti, Kufri Sindhuri

Bhutan Kufri Jyoti

Bangladesh Kufri Sindhuri

Mexico I-654 as CCM-69.1

Sri Lanka I-822 as cv. Khrushi, I-1085 as cv. Sita

Philippines I-1035 as cv. Montanosa, I-1085 as cv. BSUP-04

Madagascar I-1035 as Mailaka

Bolivia I-1039 as cv. India

Vietnam I-1039 as cv. Red skin

Trends in Area, Production and Productivity (1949-50 to 2010-11)

Area : 7.66 fold increase ACGR 3.28Production : 24.16 fold increase ACGR 5.49Productivity : 3.17 fold increase ACGR 2.14