Performance of potato varieties in Marajabú, state Trujillo, Venezuela

Abstract

The potato Solanum tuberosum L. is the most important crop in the Venezuelan Andes. The shortage of existing varieties in the country drives us to study the adaptability of new varieties that the Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agrícolas (INIA) has released. The performance of seven varieties of potatoes Cartayita, Dorinia, Cristalinia, Mukasinia, Montanita, Unnamed, and Granola were evaluated. The design was randomized blocks. Evaluated variables suggested by the International Potato Center (CIP) were: emergency percentage, plant height (cm), number of aerial stems and tubers per plant and the yield (kg ha^-1). Percentage of emergency was significantly higher (P<0.05) in Cartayita and Dorinia estimated at 71.25 and 65.63%; in Mukasinia and Cristalinia varieties reached 56.25 and 55.88%, while in Montanita and Unnamed was 48.13 and 24.38%, respectively. The plants reached heights between 33.38 and 14.30 cm highlighting the Dorinia, Montanita and Cartayita varieties. Conditions in the area during the trial were very unfavorable for the variety Granola as a witness. The number of aerial stems per plant was similar for all materials evaluated. The Mukasinia and Unnamed varieties obtained higher yields of 49.662.36 and 41.696.51 (kg ha-1), followed by Dorinia, Cartayita, Montanita, Cristalinia and Granola with 36.733.15; 3.118.27;30.387.17; 6.071.50 19.119.61 kg ha-1, respectively. The Mukasinia and Unnamed varieties have a high potential to be cultivated, due to its good adaptability to the area under study.