The Use and Impact of Biotechnology in Potato Breeding: Experience of the Potato Breeding Program at INIA, Chile

The potato breeding program of Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (INIA) Chile has developed and released 11 commercial varieties of potato. It is estimated that these varieties have 50% of the Chilean potato market and are being evaluated in seven foreign countries. The aim of this work is to summarize the current importance and scope of biotechnology in breeding in Chile, by presenting a program that has generated widespread material among farmers and consumers. The germplasm bank is the source of genetic diversity for controlled crosses. Techniques to introduce the material to in vitro conditions and thermotherapy to obtain pathogen-free in vitro plants are applied. The material is characterized by SSR markers. There is a flow of material from gene bank to the annual scheme of controlled crosses and selection in the plant breeding program. In the selection plots, molecular markers associated with one or few genes that have a large and heritable effect in important traits are used: golden nematode resistance, virus resistance, and late blight resistance. Then, in the early stages of seed production, all the material of the new varieties is checked by fingerprint and molecular and ELISA test for pathogen, to assure the identity and pathogen-free status of the starting seed material

Karu-INIA, nuevo cultivar de papa para Chile

Karu-INIA es un nuevo cultivar de papa (Solanum tuberosum L.) creado a partir del cruzamiento Yagana-INIA x Fanfare, por el Programa de Mejoramiento Genético de la Papa del Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (INIA), en el Centro Regional de Investigación Remehue, Osorno, el año 1989. Es una planta semi erecta, de buen vigor, con tubérculos de tamaño medio a grande, uniformes, de forma oval alargada, piel roja y pulpa amarilla clara. Posee altos rendimientos y se adapta bien a la mayoría de las zonas y épocas de cultivo de la papa en Chile. Su uso preferente es para consumo fresco, aunque produce una fritura de calidad altamente aceptable, similar a Yagana-INIA

Karu-INIA, new potato cultivar for Chile

Karu-INIA is a new potato (Solanum tuberosum   L.) cultivar, created from a cross between the cultivars Yagana-INIA x Fanfare by the Potato Breeding Program of the National Agricultural Research Institue (INIA), at the Remehue Regional Research Center, Osorno, Chile, in 1989. It is a semi-erect plant, with vigorous growth, a medium to large size, long oval-shaped tuber, red skin and clear yellow flesh. It is a high yielding cultivar and adapts well to the majority of the potato production areas and crop seasons in Chile. It is preferred for fresh consumption, although it has fairly good frying quality, similar to Yagana-INIA

Karu-INIA, nuevo cultivar de papa para Chile

Karu-INIA is a new potato ( Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivar, created from a cross between the cultivars Yagana-INIA x Fanfare by the Potato Breeding Program of the National Agricultural Research Institue (INIA), at the Remehue Regional Research Center, Osorno, Chile, in 1989. It is a semi-erect plant, with vigorous growth, a medium to large size, long oval-shaped tuber, red skin and clear yellow flesh. It is a high yielding cultivar and adapts well to the majority of the potato production areas and crop seasons in Chile. It is preferred for fresh consumption, although it has fairly good frying quality, similar to Yagana-INIA.Karu-INIA es un nuevo cultivar de papa ( Solanum tuberosum L.) creado a partir del cruzamiento Yagana-INIA x Fanfare, por el Programa de Mejoramiento Gen\ue9tico de la Papa del Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (INIA), en el Centro Regional de Investigaci\uf3n Remehue, Osorno, el a\uf1o 1989. Es una planta semi erecta, de buen vigor, con tub\ue9rculos de tama\uf1o medio a grande, uniformes, de forma oval alargada, piel roja y pulpa amarilla clara. Posee altos rendimientos y se adapta bien a la mayor\ueda de las zonas y \ue9pocas de cultivo de la papa en Chile. Su uso preferente es para consumo fresco, aunque produce una fritura de calidad altamente aceptable, similar a Yagana-INIA