Post by Tom Wagner on Jul 1, 2009 12:54:36 GMT -8
I just transplanted a row of F-2 Sarpo Mira seedling potato plants from true seed yesterday. One of my gardening friends was asking about the Sarpo Mira the other day expressing his frustration trying to obtain the variety with no success. He asked if I knew anyone who had them and I said, Yes!
Needless to say, he just about jumped out of his skin when I said, "How many do you want?"
I had transplants of various sizes and showed him how the 72 cell tray plants are already making tubers. He was ticked that not all the tubers were red like the Sarpo Mira but many were white.
I laid down the organic soil fertilizer amendments and we put out a long row of seedlings of SM seedlings about 15 inches apart, mostly to take photos of each plant showing late blight resistance this fall. He will have to put down numbered flags and take photos for my reference later, as I will be in Europe at the time of late blight infestation surely to hit during the Sept-Nov period. I told him that the vines will be late as many LB resistant varieties are. However, the late transplanting will time the production better than the F-2 Sarpo Miras that I have that are beginning to bloom.
I made some reference to the web such as Alan Romans site as follows which gives one an insight on the maturity/yield expectation of this variety.
Alanromans.com at www.alanromans.com/p-1892-sarpo-mira.aspx
Since my seedlings are crosses back to itself (selfed) the chances of getting enhanced LB resistance is good to excellent. Perhaps, there is an advantage of having homozygous alleles. I have a row of other seedling planted along side for evaulation and crossing. Especially those seedlings deriving from. Peruvian species and my crosses with Tollocan as a g.grandparent in some blue and/or red skinned lines. If I want russet hybrids with the F-2 SM's I have seedlings segregating for excellent russeting such as from my Centennial Gold Russet/Adora segregants, and my Primo Russet which has Primicia Inta from Argentina in it's background for high gravities and high cooking qualities from A81286-1. No shortage of crossing regimes.
In summary, I should have lots of germplasm to create and many photos to shore up my research.
Oh, I forgot, we are going to start several thousands seedling plants of the F-2 Miras in August to grow out in 72 cell trays (one seedling per cube) to mature off in November for creating thousands of little mini tuber like spuds for planting out next spring. The greenhouse space will be free since this fella's cabbage plants will go to the field about this time leaving an empty greenhouse. I intend to sow a few hybrids of F-2 Sarpo Mira with my clonal material as well for comparison. I won't know the resistance level of the parent material until later, but as a contingency it could still be valuable in hind site.
Taking a few hours of rest and cleaning up things before getting back to crossing. This writing is rare game this spring and summer.
Tom Wagner
Needless to say, he just about jumped out of his skin when I said, "How many do you want?"
I had transplants of various sizes and showed him how the 72 cell tray plants are already making tubers. He was ticked that not all the tubers were red like the Sarpo Mira but many were white.
I laid down the organic soil fertilizer amendments and we put out a long row of seedlings of SM seedlings about 15 inches apart, mostly to take photos of each plant showing late blight resistance this fall. He will have to put down numbered flags and take photos for my reference later, as I will be in Europe at the time of late blight infestation surely to hit during the Sept-Nov period. I told him that the vines will be late as many LB resistant varieties are. However, the late transplanting will time the production better than the F-2 Sarpo Miras that I have that are beginning to bloom.
I made some reference to the web such as Alan Romans site as follows which gives one an insight on the maturity/yield expectation of this variety.
Alanromans.com at www.alanromans.com/p-1892-sarpo-mira.aspx
Sarpo Mira
Like Axona, Mira is extremely blight and virus resistant - probably the most resistant variety known at the moment. They are both on the floury side of general purpose and effort is needed to stop the tubers becoming too big and starchy - cut the foliage off in say August to get good general purpose tubers. These varieties are not really late maincrops - they grow continuously all season unlike classic late maincrops which are day length sensitive and don't bulk up until late summer. They require a different mind set - instead of working hard to get the most from them, as with other varieties, it is necessary to monitor them and stop them at the point when the tubers are right for you. Both varieties have some slug resistance (but long growing period can mask this) and both store very well. Mira is drought tolerant. Peasant survival food!
Like Axona, Mira is extremely blight and virus resistant - probably the most resistant variety known at the moment. They are both on the floury side of general purpose and effort is needed to stop the tubers becoming too big and starchy - cut the foliage off in say August to get good general purpose tubers. These varieties are not really late maincrops - they grow continuously all season unlike classic late maincrops which are day length sensitive and don't bulk up until late summer. They require a different mind set - instead of working hard to get the most from them, as with other varieties, it is necessary to monitor them and stop them at the point when the tubers are right for you. Both varieties have some slug resistance (but long growing period can mask this) and both store very well. Mira is drought tolerant. Peasant survival food!
Since my seedlings are crosses back to itself (selfed) the chances of getting enhanced LB resistance is good to excellent. Perhaps, there is an advantage of having homozygous alleles. I have a row of other seedling planted along side for evaulation and crossing. Especially those seedlings deriving from. Peruvian species and my crosses with Tollocan as a g.grandparent in some blue and/or red skinned lines. If I want russet hybrids with the F-2 SM's I have seedlings segregating for excellent russeting such as from my Centennial Gold Russet/Adora segregants, and my Primo Russet which has Primicia Inta from Argentina in it's background for high gravities and high cooking qualities from A81286-1. No shortage of crossing regimes.
In summary, I should have lots of germplasm to create and many photos to shore up my research.
Oh, I forgot, we are going to start several thousands seedling plants of the F-2 Miras in August to grow out in 72 cell trays (one seedling per cube) to mature off in November for creating thousands of little mini tuber like spuds for planting out next spring. The greenhouse space will be free since this fella's cabbage plants will go to the field about this time leaving an empty greenhouse. I intend to sow a few hybrids of F-2 Sarpo Mira with my clonal material as well for comparison. I won't know the resistance level of the parent material until later, but as a contingency it could still be valuable in hind site.
Taking a few hours of rest and cleaning up things before getting back to crossing. This writing is rare game this spring and summer.
Tom Wagner