Mendelism and Potatoes

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 27 November 1912, Page 3

Mendelism and Potatoes

At a recent conference of British agricultural teachers, held at Cambridge University, Dr. Salaman lectured on the subject of his researches on potatoes breeding. He has succeeded in establishing that the in* heritance of many characters in the potato is governed by the Mendelian law. Practically all domestic varities are hybrid in the Mendelian sense— that is, if the flowers are selfed and plants are raised from the true seed (as distinct from the tuber) a large number of types differing from the parent are produced. Dr Salaman showed that in regard to shape of tuber (long or round), habit of growth (erect ur procumbent), colour of tuber (red, purple, or white), the inheritance follows the Mendelian law of segregation. Interesting results have been obtained.from a stupy of the wild species ; Solonus etuberosuro, which, though grown in England for many years, set seed for the first time in 1906, The interest of this variety lies in the fact that it is believed to be immune to Phytophtbora disease, and there is consequently a possibility that by working on Mendelian lines it may- be practicable to produce a variety of the domestic potato immune to this disease.—•Journal of the British Board of Agriculture.