In this month’s Smorgasbord, we take a look at Sierra Rose, a gourmet yellow flesh/red skin potato for the specialty market, developed by Texas A&M University and Texas A&M AgriLife Research. In production and culinary quality, Sierra Rose compares favorably to Yukon Gold and Red La Soda.
Parentage
- Strengths
High yields of 4- to 6-ounce tubers; does not tend to oversize
- Attractive oblong tubers with red skin with yellow flesh
- Fresh market quality similar to Yukon Gold.
- Similar baking, boiling, and microwave results to Red LaSoda and Yukon Gold
Key Characteristics
- Medium vine, medium open plant type, semi-erect growth
- Early maturity
- Higher stem number and tubers per plant
- Slightly longer tubers than Yukon Gold or Red LaSoda, but similar uniformity
- Attractive yellow flesh
- Low total glycoalkaloids
- Medium yield (higher than Yukon Gold; lower than Red LaSoda)
- Slightly spreading vine, not sensitive to metribuzin application
- Medium dormancy
Disease Resistance
- Susceptible to foliar late blight, slightly less susceptible to tuber late blight
- Susceptible to potato leafroll virus, potato virus X, potato virus Y, potato virus S and early die
- Moderately susceptible to Verticilium, early blight, common scab and Rhizoctonia
Seed Availability
- Production contracts may be available from Cal-Ore Seed, Inc. in Oakdale, Calif.