Genetic analysis of long storability in different light storage

The North Carolina genetic mating design 1 was used to study the inheritance of potato tuber storability after 8-month storage under diffuse light in the hot lowlands. Five males were crossed to 4 female parents. The best storing progenies had the common male parents APC 1100 and APC971. The best storing progenies were APC318 x APC1100, APC482 x APC971, APC119A x APC1100, 385171.17 x APC971, APC110 x APC1100, T88801.1 x T88759.2 and 385146.90 x T88801.2. These had less than 18 percent tuber weight loss. The male parents with good general combining ability were APC1100 and APC971. Sprout length was negatively correlated with dormancy period and dormancy period was negatively correlated with tuber weight loss. Initial tuber weight had a significant negative correlation with tuber weight loss, after 8-month storage but only during the first seedling tuber generation (1992) when there was high variability in initial tuber weight. Sprout length and tuber weight loss were positively correlated in 1992 but not in 1993. Initial tuber weight and sprout number were positively correlated in 1992 while initial tuber weight and sprout length, and sprout number and sprout length were negatively correlated. Initial tuber weight and dormancy, and sprout number and dormancy had no significant correlations. The additive components of genetic variance for sprout length, dormancy and tuber weight loss predominated over the dominance variance which showed negative values in both years. Sprout number had small values for additives and dominance components of genetic variance. Heritability estimates of the 4 characters were very high which suggests efficiency of selection for these characters. High GCV [genetic coefficient of variation] values for tuber weight loss in both years indicate great genetic variation in these characters and a good opportunity for selection