Mission Statement
The mission of the Texas A&M Potato Breeding Program is to identify and/or develop improved varieties, adapted to the diverse environmental conditions of Texas, that will result in increased profits for the industry and provide superior products for consumers.
Objectives
- To develop high yielding, early maturing russet varieties
- To develop superior yielding medium to late maturing russet varieties
- To develop early maturing red varieties with improved shipping quality
- To develop colored skin/flesh varieties with outstanding culinary qualities for the specialty market
- To develop white varieties possessing superior yield and chip qualities
- To develop improved strains of selected prominent existing varieties through subclonal selection
- To develop improved varieties with enhanced health benefits for consumers and disease resistance for producers
Methodology
Original selections are made from single-hill clones resulting from crosses made in Texas.
Original selections are made from second through fourth size seeding tubers provided by the Colorado State University, North Dakota State University, and USDA/ARS (Aberdeen, ID; Madison, WI) programs.
Selections of improved strains are made from prominent existing varieties deficient in one or more desirable characteristics.
Extensive replicated trials [Southwestern Regional (Russet, Chipping, Red, Specialty), Western Regional (Russet, Chipping, Red, Specialty)] and several advanced selection and nursery trials are conducted throughout the length of Texas (McCook-Lower Rio Grande Valley, Springlake-Southern High Plains, and Dalhart-North West panhandle).
Numerous laboratory investigations are conducted to evaluate the physiological/genetic basis for characteristics of interest.
Virus eradication and rapid multiplication of promising selections using tissue culture is an integral aspect of the breeding program.
