The objective of this study was to investigate the expected response to selection for chip color, and its correlations with some horticultural traits, in four hybrid potato populations. The work was carried out on the experimental field and the laboratory of Embrapa Temperate Agriculture, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, in the autumn seasons of 2007 and 2008. The four populations were derived from crossing genitors with different levels of reducing sugars (AR). The chip color, plant development cycle, tuber yield, number of tubers, average tuber weight and tuber appearance were evaluated. Data were statistically analyzed according to the REML/BLUP model, in a way to distinguish fixed and random effects. The populations did not show significant differences in expected response to selection for chip color, despite differing in genetic value and heritability estimates. Higher genetic gains for chip color could be expected only as result of the lower means (lighter color) of the populations that did not include high AR parent in their generation.
Solanum tuberosum; genetic advance; heritability; genetic value; processing quality; reducing sugars
