One of the key tasks when growing seed potatoes is to obtain optimal yield and ensure the quality of seed potatoes at the level of regulatory requirements of standards. To achieve these goals in potato seed production, it is important to use high-quality source material. Specialists from the branch of the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Rosselkhoztsentr" in the Krasnoyarsk Territory took part in the selection of basic potato clones for introducing them into in vitro culture and obtaining source material. The selection was carried out on the plantings of the first field generation of potato varieties Lady Claire, Colomba, Innovator, Argo, Lila in the field nurseries of SHP Dary Malinovki LLC. During the selection, a thorough visual assessment of each plant presented was carried out. Plants were selected that were the most typical for the variety, with well-defined distinctive characteristics of the variety, absolutely healthy in appearance, with the number of main stems characteristic of the variety, with uniformly colored leaves, without signs of mottling, wrinkling, folding, or curling.
The harvest of each plant was dug up by hand, laid out in a hole, and each nest was assessed individually for varietal typicality and tuber health. Particular attention was paid to the typical shape of the tubers for this variety, the absence of signs of spindle shape, and the absence of symptoms of diseases and defects.
From the selected tubers, tissues from the apical (apical) meristems located in the apical part of the vegetative organs will be taken in the laboratory.
Potato source material is grown in laboratory conditions in test tubes, from meristematic tissues, using in vitro technology. The use of this technology makes it possible to obtain genetically homogeneous planting material, free from viral, fungal and bacterial pathogens. Only the originators of the variety have the right to grow such potatoes.
The initial in vitro microplants, obtained by introducing basic clones into culture, will be propagated to the required volumes, having gone through several cycles of cuttings on artificial nutrient media.
Subsequently, microplants to obtain mini-tubers are planted in greenhouses, in a controlled environment with protection from insects. Then the mini-tubers are planted in the field, producing the first field generation. Potatoes obtained from the propagation of improved source material (mini-tubers, first field generation), produced by the originator of the variety or a person authorized by him, belong to the original seed potatoes.
Obtaining healthy seed material is an integral stage in potato seed production and an important factor affecting the productivity and yield of the variety. Currently, the recovery of potatoes from viral diseases using meristem culture is used in all potato-producing countries of the world. High-quality seeds grown in specialized seed farms provide a yield increase of up to 25-50%, compared to degenerate seeds that have not been renewed for many years.