A study of the factors influencing the improvement of the potato / by Edward M. East.

  • Edward Murray East
Date:
1908
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: A study of the factors influencing the improvement of the potato / by Edward M. East. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    /po5.] No very definite conclusions can be drawn from this one sea- son’s work, yet in comparing a possible inheritance of variations, the difference of .81 percent in dry matter is noteworthy. It should be remembered that the low protein potatoes were larger and from them should have ordinarily been expected the higher dry matter. The difference in total nitrogenous matter, in favor of the high protein plot was 0.33 percent upon the fresh sample and 1.61 per- cent upon the dried sample. The regression of each plot toward the same type in percentages of dry matter and nitrogenous mate- rial is great but no more than would have'been expected from seed propagated selections. Note.—This experiment is being continued on a somewhat dif- ferent plan. A variety of potatoes has been produced, coming from a single tuber of a seedling of four years ago. With these tubers- two plots are being carried on, one for high and one for low nitro- gen. It is expected by thus having a check upon the effects of soil, and having to deal with an accurately estimated character, to be able definitely to demonstrate whether there is inheritance of asex- ual fluctuations. General Statements The improvement of our present varieties of potatoes in yield- ing power, and the enhancing of particularly valuable characters through breeding and selection have been shown in the foregoing pages to be broad and many sided questions. They are beset with difficulties such as are attendant on the improvement of no other important field crop. But if the questions are difficult, some cf them are far reaching in their bearing and the subject seems alike wor- thy the attention of the biologist seeking experimental evidence concerning the meaning of sex and the inheritance of fluctuating characters; and the practical breeder whose relative success in the production of new varieties is measured by dollars and cents. The use of other tuber bearing species of Solanum as a starting point for new varieties has not yet produced anything of value. Hope is still entertained that S. Commersonii crossed, or hybrid- ized, with S. tuberosum will finally produce something that is dis- ease resistant and satisfactory in other respects. The present evi- dence, however, seems to point towards some correlation of quality with susceptibility to disease, so that definite knowledge of the physiological meaning of fungus resistance is most probably the key to the door we must enter.