GENOMIC COMPOSITION OF 4X-2X POTATO HYBRIDS - INFLUENCE OF SOLANUM-CHACOENSE

Tetraploid potato hybrids representing three genomic compositions (TTTT, TTPP, and TTPC (T, Solanum tuberosum; P, Solanum phureja; C, Solanum chacoense)) were constructed by crossing S. tuberosum (2n = 4x = 48) cultivars or advanced breeding selections among themselves or with 2n pollen producing selections of either S. phureja (2n = 2x = 24) or F1 hybrids between S. phureja and S. chacoense (2n = 2x = 24). Seedling families were evaluated in the fall season and selections within each family were evaluated in spring trials at Ait-Melloul, Morocco. Genomic composition was the greatest source of variance for yield-attributing traits, with TTPC outperforming other hybrids in fall trials for vine vigor, tuber set, and tuber yield and TTPP outperforming other hybrids in spring trials for the same traits. The results imply that analytic breeding for potato by construction of complex interspecific hybrids may result in clones surpassing a previously proposed heterotic threshold if the target environment is conducive to expression of favorable traits from alien germ plasm.