Thread: San Cocho
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Old February 15, 2010   #3
Tom Wagner
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Papa criolla
The potato with this scientific name Solanum phureja ….which is very common in Colombia has a translation in English as simple yellow potato, also known as :Papa Amarilla, which in some cases actually refers to a variety of potatoes, mostly it is a class. Yema de Huevo is a classic example for one of these varieties. The classic Papa Amarilla cannot be grown below 3,000 ft. elevation.

Silas wondered if the potatoes found in Antioquia could be found in the USA.
Well…..yes and no. Let me explain a few things first.

Quote:
In Antioquia, the potato crop is less seasonal and more evenly distributed across the year, but with some concentration of planting in March and also November
I am thinking Yema de Huevo fits the cycles of production locally.

Quote:
Varieties
In keeping with Colombia's partial transition toward a more commercialized potato industry, varieties are commonly Solanum tuberosum ssp. tuberosum, as opposed to Peru and Bolivia, characterized by many small, non-commercial producers more commonly based on varieties of S. tuberosum ssp. andigena (Huarte 2004). The decrease in area planted to andigena varieties of S. tuberosum, as well as varieties of Solanum phureja, has apparently been underway for several decades. In the early 1970s, about forty percent of the potatoes planted in Colombia were native varieties (Alvarado 1974), many of which were being replaced because of long durations to maturity (six to seven months) and low yields. As of 2000, approximately thirty native varieties were being cultivated, of which ten were of commercial importance.
I know for a fact that growers in the USA don’t want to fool with potatoes that are six to seven month maturities and low yields…they are after three month potatoes with high yields. Short day potatoes from Colombia just do not perform well in our long day production cycles. I did grow them fairly well as a fall winter crop in southern California however.

Quote:
Native varieties nevertheless exhibit characteristics of value. Strong resistance to Potato Leafroll Virus (PLRV) has been reported in Solanum phureja, a cultivated diploid potato species with a center of genetic diversity in the south of Colombia. S. phureja seems to have been selected from S. stenotomum by Andean farmers for its rapid maturity and lack of dormancy after harvest. The variety known as yema de huevo ("egg yolk," because of its characteristic round yellow tubers) accounts for nearly ten percent of the total potato crop in Colombia, though generally cultivated as a secondary crop
You have no idea how annoying it is to have potatoes break dormancy too soon. They often even start to sprout before the plant dies down and certainly shortly after harvest. My breeding work is just the opposite of the Colombians……I am crossing many phureja clones back to stenotomum to restore the dormancy genes without having to rely exclusively on crossing to tuberosum and andigena clones.

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Although very few farmers in Colombia work directly with certified seed (partly due to the strict standards of ICA), the "formal system" has actively introduced new varieties which farmers are adopting. From 2001 to 2005, eleven varieties were released, including several of the species S. phureja (Criolla Colombia, Criolla Latina, and Criolla Paisa). These new varieties are offering alternatives to those which have dominated the market for several decades, but which are susceptible to Late Blight (e.g. Parda Pastusa, Monserrate, and Capiro) or are otherwise less desirable to farmers and processing firms.
Now I have lots of clonal material from Colombia such as Monserrate and Capiro and are introgressed into my breeding program. The Criolla Coloumbia and Latina are not available to me yet and I do not know if they have the classic flavor of Yema de Huevo. I have the Yema de Huevo bred into many of my varieties …the closest one would be my Skagit Valley Gold. I only have a few tubers for replanting this year but I have lots of TPS. Some of my TPS has Yema de Huevo as a g.g.g randparent and the flavors should re-emerge in the seedlings.

Only a relative few potato farmers in Colombia are sufficiently productive and of economic scale to participate in the market for processed potatoes (mostly snacks) directed by several domestic and transnational firms. In some cases, firms establish contractual relationships with growers which can stipulate not only prices to be paid, but any of a number of other factors, such as quantities to be produced, varieties, size, and other quality factors.
So whether or not Yema de Huevo is showing up in processed foods in one I need to explore. But the fastest way to find out if the potato Silas is looking for is to follow some links provide here.

Whole Yellow PotatoImported from Colombian http://www.amigofoods.com/delfrpacr28o.html
Papa Criolla Asada
Papas Criollas are absolutely delicious and in Colombia we cook them in many different ways. Although this recipe entails roasting papas, fried papas are a very popular street food that is sold in paper bags by street vendors. In the United States I buy these potatoes frozen. You can find them in the Latin aisle at the supermarket or online in Amigosfood.com
Attractive shots of these potatoes…..
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...colombiana.jpg shows a picture of fried papas
http://www.mycolombianrecipes.com/wp...riolla-019.jpg
Shows a bag of roasted potatoes
http://euroandinasl.com/images/PICAD...%20CRIOLLA.gif shows the frozen potatoes that can be purchased

For some adventurous soul besides Silas , I would suggest calling the number for Amigo Foods down in Miami, Florida and ask about the latin foods. I think a 26 oz. jar of the tiny potatoes is like $4 before shipping. You can find out more by clicking on the link above and ordering by internet. I wish someone besides myself would order some. Hint..
Just to let folks know how serious I am about introducing new clonal material to the public someday is this list of Solanum phureja lines from mostly Colombia...
Narino, Colombia origin which is further south than Antioquia


Quote:
PI 310490* (phureja)
YELLOW RED
PI 310493*(phureja)
YELLOW
PI 225667*(phureja)
DEEP YELLOW
PI 225667* (phureja)
YELLOW - PURPLE RING
PI 225673*(phureja)
DEEP YELLOW
PI 225677*(phureja)
DEEP PURPLE FLESH - PURPLE MOTTLED ON WHITE FLESH
PI 225686*(phureja)
WHITE - PURPLE RING
PI 225686*(phureja)
DEEP YELLOW
PI 225688(phureja)
YELLOW - PURPLE SPLASH
PI 225689(phureja)
YELLOW - PURPLE SPLASH
PI 225689*(phureja)
YELLOW - PURPLE
PI 225689(phureja)
BRIGHT YELLOW
PI 225689*(phureja)
DEEP PURPLE - DARK YELLOW
PI 225693* (phureja)
DEEP YELLOW
PI 225693*(phureja)
DEEP YELLOW
PI 225694*(phureja)
DEEP YELLOW
PI 225705*(phureja)
DEEP YELLOW
PI 225710*(phureja)
DEEP YELLOW
PI 320355*(phureja)
DEEP PURPLE
PI 320355(phureja)
YELLOW SKIN - DEEP PURPLE
PI 320370(phureja)
YELLOW - RED CENTER
PI 320370*(phureja)
DEEP YELLOW - RED PHLOEM
PI 320373*(phureja)
DEEP YELLOW
PI 320373*(phureja)
DEEP YELLOW
PI 320377*(phureja)
DARK PURPLE SKIN - YELLOW FLESH
PI 320377*(phureja)
DARK YELLOW
PI 320377(phureja)
DEEP PURPLE
PI 320379*(phureja)
DEEP YELLOW
PI 320379* (phureja)
DEEP YELLOW - RED RING
PI 320379*(phureja)
DEEP YELLOW - RED RING
PI 320387(phureja)
DEEP YELLOW
PI 320390(phureja)
PURPLE CENTER
PI 320390*(phureja)
YELLOW
PI 320391*(phureja)
DARK YELLOW
PI 320391*(phureja)
DARK YELLOW
PI 320391*(phureja)
DEEP PURPLE CENTER
PI 320391*(phureja)
DEEP YELLOW
PI 498171*(phureja)
DEEP YELLOW
PI 498171*(phureja)
I used this group in breeding last year and will do so again in 2010. An increase of these need to made to ascertain the flavors also. These potatoes are sprouting like crazy but could still grow if somebody wants to try a few. I have a few extra tubers of most. Most of these are derived from accessions collected 60 years ago and reflect even more primitive characteristics than YdH.

There are so many sprouts on some of these that one could treat them like sweet potato and grow rooted slips off of each sprout.


Tom Wagner
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