Assessment of the Relationship Between Yield and Quality of Potato Tubers in the Conditions of the Middle Volga Region

Abstract

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is one of the most important and most popular agricultural crops in Russia. Breeding science creates many new varieties to increase the biological and economic potential of potato. One of the criteria for inclusion in practical breeding is high productivity combined with resistance. This approach is based on the study of phenotype under specific environmental conditions. The aim of the work is to evaluate the relationship between yield components and quality of potato tubers. The objects of study were 29 potato varieties of different ripeness groups and genetic origin: early, medium early and mid-season variety. Field research was carried out at the experimental plot of the Samara Scientific Re-search Agriculture Institute named after N.M. Tulajkov – branch of the Samara Federal Research Scientific Center RAS in 2022-2024. As a result of field experiments, higher yields of early variety, medium early variety and mid-season were established. The correlation coefficients between yield and tuber number and yield and tuber weight are r = 0.59 and r = 0.71 at p < 0.05, respectively. A positive correlation was established for yield and plant height (r = 0.29). A mean positive relationship linked starch content and tuber number (r = 0.39) but negative relationship was found for ascorbic acid content and tuber weight (r = 0.28). Thus, it is necessary to take into account the relationship of tuber biochemical composition with yield and growth parameters in breeding programmes.