Evolution of an indigenously developed climate-resilient potato variety “Kashmir” in Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

Climate change significantly challenges agriculture, impacting crop yields, water availability, pest attacks and soil health. Adaptation strategies like crop diversification, efficient mode of irrigation, and resilient crop varieties are the solution. In Pakistan, potato, a major food as well as cash crops, face climate change-related threats. “Kashmir” a high-yielding, early bulking, frost, and disease tolerant potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). variety was developed at the Potato Research Institute, Sahiwal, Pakistan. This is the result of a cross “FD 35-36 x SH-5” attempted at Potato Breeding Sub-Station, Murree in 2004. The nursery was raised during 2005-08, and evaluation trials were conducted from 2008-10 at Vegetable Research Institute, Faisalabad. The experimental design used in all trials was randomised Complete Block Design (RCBD). Varietal, Advanced Varietal, frost tolerance, National, and Zonal trials were conducted from 2012 to 2019 under different agro-climatic conditions using the same design. A split plot arrangement was implemented for early bulking studies conducted during 2016-17 at PRI, Sahiwal. Plant pathological studies were conducted under field conditions using CRD design at Kaghan during 2016-17, while agronomic studies were conducted at PRI, Sahiwal during 2016-17. Value addition studies were conducted at Post Harvest Research Institute, AARI, Faisalabad during 2020-21. In these studies, this variety exhibited a 53.6% higher yield than the commercial checks and took 100 days to maturity. Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department assessed its  morphological features under the distinctness, Uniformity and Stability (DUS) trial in their field. This variety has been approved by Punjab Seed Council headed by the Minister of Agriculture.