A COMPLEX PLANT

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11768, 15 October 1932, Page 12

A COMPLEX PLANT

THE AJALIGNED POTATO

Sciontijieaily ihe potato is a most complex and remarkable plant. The charnel eristics of the Tubers do not. occur accidentally, but are truly hereditary. 'The skin may be smooth, rough, or rus so ted. The color mav ho due to cork in The outer layer or to pigment in an inner layer, h mav be even throughout or it may be "splashed. Jhe .-Jiape of tile potato varies considerably, but generally there ri ro three distinct types—long, round or oval, ami intermediate. The oval shaped tuber is often a hybrid of the °Ui.-r two varieties. The “flesh” may bo white or yellow. In Europe ihe* yolloAv type is required. It is “waxy”' wh.-n cooked. because it- . contains more protein and loss starch. In Great Britain and. apparently, in Victoria, tins typo is nor. wanted, and -he floury varietio- are preferred. The "eve-- - may be deep or they may be snallow. Deep eyes are considered to ”‘ bad characteristic, because up to 20 per cent, of the tuber may be 10-i in peeling. In Britain the great potato districts are on the ac-id soils of I.eli< a-hiiv and ( he,shire. and ihe Ps and tens near Cambridge. It ts supposed tjiat potatoes were id'-i taken to Britain bv Sir Walte;-Luh-mli. They wore introduced from \ irguna. and iroin early descriptions ihry aj'jiea r to have been similar to thorn grown now. Until fh e beginning ot the .Uhh century they remained ii delicacy. They then, began to Go used as a daily article of food. By I 1 they .were spreading rapidly and. owmg to tip-, moist climate, tjiev grew mo-i satisfactorily in Ireland/ where Giey were used widely. In IS4-3 Di>ii blight, a disease caused by a fungus < phytophthero- infestans) which appeared in a wet ‘season and spread, rapidly, almost- completely destroyed Mm crop. and. there was much .suffering and in mine. Ihe disease was eventually controlled by the use oi; sprays <u copper carbonate.

A di.-ease much more dangerous than *1 risli blight occurred in Cheshire in ITIU. it is known as black vart disease. The spores, which may l\i caked seeds, live ni the soiL for many years and attacking the tubers, produce a wart-like growth. Tile dw-ea-e usually results in the complete destruction of the crop, and it- is so serious that in England it Is impossible to grow a variety .which is not sns ccptible to ir. J.he disease has been combated successfully by growing reseda ni varieties of potatoes. Another group of diseases caused, by organisms invisible even under the most, poweriii! miseroscopo lias been recognised. 'J he group includes leaf curl, crinkle, leaf roll, mosaic, and streak. Many of them are transmitted by sucking insects such as aphids . The potato has survived all these troubles and it will no doubt be little affected by the current criticism. All tluit appears to be necessary is the breeding of a potato which will yield well, is resistant to all diseases, has large tubers, and small stolons, white, skin, good shape, shallow eyes, white floury flesh, and a mild flavour. Then everybody will be pleased.