CULINARY QUALITY OF TUBERS DERIVED FROM SOLANUM-PHUREJA AND SOLANUM-TUBEROSUM X SOLANUM-PHUREJA HYBRIDS

Clones from the potato species Solanum phureja and 2x and 4x hybrids between S. phureja and S. tuberosum were tested for the culinary quality of their tubers following steaming, frying and baking. The quality of S. phureja tubers was high but material from the F1 hybrids showed more disintegration or blackening after cooking than either parental species. Tetraploids produced by backcrossing 4x F1 hybrids to S. tuberosum cultivars showed less of these defects. Fourteen S. phureja and 2x F1 hybrid clones selected for their unusual tuber skin pigmentation or shape were found to have a variety of baked flesh colours from orange-yellow to cream with red marbling. Their cooked flesh texture was generally floury and often crumbly. It is suggested that S. phureja material could be exploited as a novel food source for specialized use in North European countries.