Ploidy in potatoes

[Galina]

Ploidy is the number of sets of chromosome in a cell.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ploidy

Potatoes can be anything from diploid to hexaploid.
http://potatogenome.berkeley.edu/nsf...polyploidy.php

I am just looking at the tatermaterseeds catalogue of Tom Wagner. In particular the true potato seeds (not seed potato tubers). There are diploid potatoes, for example Baggins Dragon
http://tatermaterseeds.com/shop/inde...roducts_id=116

and Skagit Magic is diploid too
http://tatermaterseeds.com/shop/inde...roducts_id=236

and others that are tetraploid like Denali Rose
http://tatermaterseeds.com/shop/inde...roducts_id=130

Tom Wagner speaks of 'tetraploid potatoes with diploid flavour'. Interesting!
http://tatermaterseeds.com/shop/inde...roducts_id=118

[Silverleaf]

Ooh, that's useful to know. I have some Skagit Magic seeds, so yay!

[jayb]

Skagit Magic TPS throw some nice types, many have been white tubers with good taste though some can be very late to tuberise and crops vary from plants. They flower profusely and are a joy of colour for quite a time, flowers are mainly shades of purples and whites, they set pods well. When I've grown them some have very good resistance to Late Blight. If the TPS was from me it is first year open pollinated, saved from Tom's Skagit Magic TPS. I grew several Diploids close by so some crossing is possible as the bees were busy early in the season.

[Silverleaf]

Yes it's from you, found it in the pass-the-parcel swap.

[jayb]

Good to see they are being grown
Coocon Khuchi tps was grown alongside another diploid and one of Tom's. His short description "pale yellow flesh all colors of skin ..blight resistant" They were amazing flowering, just a riot of colour for what seemed an age.

[Silverleaf]

I am very much looking forward to lots of potato flowers.

[jayb]

Skagit Magic TPS in bloom!
1-IMG_5730 by jayb 35, on Flickr

[Silverleaf]

How gorgeous is that?

[jayb]

Pretty good, you can see why Tom W. suggests they can be grown as part of the flower garden.

[Silverleaf]

Yes, definitely.

That's great. I like pretty vegetables!

[Galina]

Skagit Magic tps. If I didn't know any better (and the different stems give it away) I would have said these are not potato leafed! I transplanted these a few days ago and could not believe my eyes about the developing foliage. Looks like a tomato. Have others observed this? Is it due to SM being diploid?

Can't wait for the flowers.

[Jang]

I just came upon this very old thread and read with great interest.

Skagit Magic looks to die for, just for the flowers, even if the tubers aren’t much good.

I can’t find any signs of this being available. Was it bred by Tom and only available as seed? Can anyone give any follow-up or has this line died out?

[Galina]

Bred by Tom and named after Skagit county in Oregon. Afaik only available as tps a long time ago. Haven't seen Tom Wagner's webshop for a while. But check for 'Tatermater' which is what he called it in case it opens again. SM is not a uniform variety. Supposedly blight resistant hence the 'magic' but not brilliantly so. Wonderful sprays of flowers with small tubers that taste a bit stronger than usual potatoes. Set berries, even for me without any problems which is why I think I still might have some in the freezer.

Stolons with tubers can be a long way away from the main plant, which has led to confusion of which tuber is which with neighbouring potatoes. Plant on their own.

This to my knowledge was the last time the webshop existed. http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=34939

He is on fb, so you might send an enquiry. https://www.facebook.com/tom.wagner.94651

There is also a ProBoard forum with recent posts. https://tatermater.proboards.com/board/1

Tom offers to be contacted by email too. Contact me via [email protected]

[Jang]

Thank you for a wonderfully full and detailed answer and for the links. It appears that Tom Wagner has slowed down his breeding work over the last few years, and no longer sells seed.

[jayb]

Will do, family staying over at the moment, but will check next week.

[Jang]

Aw thanks. Exciting stuff, but of course no hurry, and no problem if not.

Ditto on family. Have a good time.