Potato : Solanum tuberosum L.

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) originated in Andes highlands in Peru and Europeans who settled in 

hilly areas introduced it to Sri Lanka in 1850's. At present potato is extensively cultivated in the district of Nuwara Eliya (Up country wet zone >1000m amsl) in two major seasons, "Yala" (Feb - July) and "Maha" (Aug - Dec.) where annual rainfall is >2,500mm and temperature ranges between 10-150C with the relative humidity of 80%. It also widely grown in Badulla District (Up Country intermediate zone- 1000 to 1500 m amsl) in paddy fields and high land during "Yala' and "Maha" seasons respectively. This area experiences the rainfall of 1500 - 2250 mm annually with 70 % RH and 15- 22 0C range in temperature. Puttlam And Jaffna are the other two districts where the potato is grown in lesser extent.

Potato is the most popular crop of upcountry farmers due to its high net return.
Recommended Varieties

Hillstar	Desiree	Sante	raja
Granola	Kondor	Isna

a) Potato-Recommended varieties in Sri Lanka

1.	Name of the Variety:	Sita
2.	Scientists Involved:	Dr. Yogarathnum and Mrs. Velupillai
3.	Year of release:	1981
4.	Age of Optimum Harvesting time:	Late - 100- 110 days
5.	Pedigree:	Advanced generation line from (I-1085, India) CIP
6.	Pests and Disease Resistance:	Tolerance to late blight
7.	Crop Description)
	a) Plant:	Anthocyanin discoloration is absent; green color leaves with many secondary leaflets. Leaflets are very small and rough.
	b) Flower:	White.
	c) Tuber :	Short oval shape; yellow skin; white flesh; shallow eyes.
	d) Sprout :	Green sprouts with weak pubescence.
	:e) Potential Yield:	20 - 25 t/ha

1.	Name of the Variety:	Krushi
2.	Scientists Involved :	Dr. Yogarathnum and Mrs. Velupillai
3.	Year of release	1981
4.	Age of  optimum Harvesting time:	Late - 100 - 110 days
5.	Pedigree:	Advanced generation line from (I-822, India) CIP
6.	Pests and Disease Resistance:	Tolerance to late blight
7.	Crop Description:
	a) Plant:	Anthocyanin discoloration absent at the top of the stem and present at the stem base; dark green leaves with medium number of secondary leaflets.
	b) Flower	white
	c) Tuber :	Round oval shape; yellow skin; white yellow flesh; medium depth eyes.
	d) Sprout:	Color of the base red violet, tip light red violet; weak pubescence at the base and medium at the tip.
	e) Potential Yield:	20 t/ha

1.	Name of the Variety:	Lukshmi
2.	Scientists Involved:	Mr. Abethunge and Mrs.S. Abethunge
3.	Year of release	1992
4.	Age of Optimum Harvesting time	Late (110 days)
5.	Pedigree:	SE-11 x 260/39B
6.	Pests and Disease Resistance:	Moderately resistance to late blight
7.	Crop Description
	a) Plant:	Long stems
	b) Flower	White pink
	c) Tuber:	Round to oval shape, white skin with shallow eyes
	d) Sprout
	e) Potential Yield:	20 -25

1	Name of the Variety	Manike
2	Scientists Involved:	Mr. Abethunge and Mrs.Abethunge
3	Year of release:	1992
4	Age of Optimum Harvesting time.	Late (110 days)
5	Pedigree	Atzimba x 260/39B
6	Pests and Disease Resistance:	Moderately resistance to late blight
7	Crop Description
	a) Plant:	Long stems
	b) Flower	White pink
	c) Tuber	Round to oval shape, white skin with shallow eyes.
	d) Sprout
	e) Potential Yield:	20 -25 t/h

b) Potato-commercial varieties

1.	Name of the Variety:	Desiree
2.	Scientists Involved	-
3.	year of release	-
4.	Age of Optimum Harvesting time	Moderately early to moderately late
5.	Pedigree:	Urgenta x Desesche
6.	Pests and Disease Resistance:	Good resistance to tuber blight
7.	Crop Description
	a) Plant	Tall to medium, semi-erect stems, pronounce anthocyanin discoloration, dark green leaves
		Red-violet flowers.
	b) Flower
	c) Tuber	Long -oval shape, red smooth skin, pale yellow flesh, shallow eyes
	d) Sprout	Large, broad cylindrical, intense to moderately intense red-violet and medium pubescence, many root tips, moderate to weak anthocyanin discoloration.
	e) Potential Yield	15-20mt/h

1.	Name of the Variety	Granola
2.	Scientists Involved:    -
3.	Age of Optimum Harvesting time.	Medium late
4.	Pedigree	3333/60 x 267.04
5.	Pests and Disease Resistance    Fairly good resistance to leaf blight. Moderate resistance to viruses A and Yn; resistance to pathotype A of the golden nematode.
6.	Crop Description
	a) Plant Medium-length to tall; stems fairly thick, fairly spreading, pale purple; Leaves large, palish green; primary leaflets fairly large and narrow with fairly shallow veins;
	b) Flower	Darkish red - purple flowers.
	c) Tuber	Short - oval; yellow, fairly rough skin; yellow flesh; fairly deep eyes.
	d) Sprout	Fairly small, egg- shaped, red-purple; sparsely hairy; fairly large, open, deepish red- purple terminal buds; fairly small number of root tips.
	e) Potential Yield	20 -25 t/ha

1.	Name of the Variety	Kondor
2.	Scientists  Involved:	-
3.	Age of Optimum Harvesting time.	Moderately early to moderately late.
4.	Pedigree	KO61-333 x Wilja
5.	Pests and Disease Resistance	Moderately good resistance to leaf blight, rather good resistance to tuber blight; rather good resistance to virus X and resistance to virus A.
6.	Crop Description
	a)  Plant	Medium to short; stems semi erect to erect, pronounced to moderate anthocyanin discoloration; large to medium, dark green leaves.
	b) Flower	Red-violet flowers
	c) Tuber	Very large, oval, red skin, moderately deep eyes; pale yellow flesh,
	d) Sprout	Large to medium, broad cylindrical, intense red-violet and strong pubescence; medium terminal bud with moderate to weak anthocyanin discoloration; few root tips.
	e) Potential	Yield    20 - 25 t/ha

1.	Name of the Variety	Isna
2.	Scientists Involved:	-
3.	Age of Optimum Harvesting time.	Moderately Late
4.	Pedigree	35/53/4718 x M.P.I. 44.335/128
5.	Pests and Disease Resistance
6.	Crop Description
	a) Plant	No anthosyanin discoloration; large to medium, green leaves
	b) Flower	White colour
	c) Tuber	Short oval; yellow skin, yellow flesh; rather shallow eyes.
	d) Sprout	Purplish green base with green tip; weak pubescence at the base and medium at the tip
	e) Potential yield	20t/ha

Field Establishment

Agro Climatic requirements

Potato can be successfully grown in Up Country Wet , Intermediate, and Dry Zones at temperatures between 24 0C and 32 0C as well as in Puttalum and Jaffna districts during Maha. The optimum day temperature is 20 - 25 0C and temperature difference between day and night should be 10 0C

Time of planting

Season	Location	Planting date
Maha	Nuwara Eliya Badulla (highlands) Jaffna & Puttlum Kalpitiya	Aug - September Nov - Dec mid Nov - mid Dec mid Oct - mid Dec
Yala	Nuwara Eliya Badulla	Feb - March July - Aug