EVALUATION OF PROCESSING CULTIVARS OF POTATO IN NILGIRI HILLS OF SOUTH INDIA

Abstract

Two indigenously developed Indian processing cultivars Kufri Chipsona-1 and Kufri Chipsona-2 along with exotic cultivars Atlantic and Frito Lay-1533, and local cv Kufri Jyoti were evaluated over 2 years under Nilgri hills conditions in south India Besides total and processing grade tuber yield, observations were recorded on number of tubers per plant, average tuber weight, and processing attnbutes, viz., tuber dry matter, reducing sugars, sucrose, free amino adds and chip colour. Reaction of the cultivars to late blight disease which appears in epidemic form in the region was also recorded. Kufri Chipsona-1 (426 q ha-1) and Kufri Chlpsona-2 (3556 q ha-1) were top YIelders and produced the maximum processing grade tuber yield Both the cultivars possessed high tuber dry matter, low reducing sugars and low total free amino aCIds Kufri Chipona prodiced acceptable light colour chlps, whereas, chip colour of Kufri Chipsona-2 was near acceptability limit. Exotic cuillvar Atianhc. produced acceptable clup colour but its tuber yield was poor. Both Kufri Chipsona-1 and Kufri Chipsona-2 recorded high held resistance to late blight disease, whereas, all other cultivars were found susceptible and poor yielders.