Conestoga

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Origin & Breeding: bred by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada from (G7063 x G6652) and selected by the Horticultural Science Department, Ontario Agricultural College, University of Guelph, Ontario, in 1971.
Year registered in Canada: 1982
Registration number: 2244
Maturity: early

Plants: large, upright with a tendency to spread; stems purplish near the base, becoming less so upwards, sparsely pubescent; nodes not swollen; wings prominent formed by decurrent leaf petiole margins.
Leaves: olive green; midribs densely pubescent, purplish at the attachment of the petiolules; upper surface winged with decurrent petiolule margins.
Terminal leaflets: ovate; apex acuminate; base slightly cordate to truncate or somewhat oblique.
Primary leaflets: four pairs; shape similar to terminal leaflets.
Secondary leaflets: broadly ovate, apex acute to obtuse, seldom acuminate; base strongly cordate; one to three pairs.
Flowers: numerous, white with a yellowish green centre and small holes at the petals junction; blossom over an extended period; anthers orange yellow; buds light green with a faint purple band at the calix base.
Tubers: blocky, slightly flattened; very slightly flaked white skin; shallow eyes usually the same colour as the skin, occasionally pink; white flesh.
Sprouts: base and tip white, centre strong reddish purple.

High yielding variety; tubers size early; washes well. Very vigorous plant with early growth. High total solids. Short dormancy period.

Remark: glycoalkaloids levels may make this variety unacceptable for chipping.

Utilization: very good for boiling and baking; excellent chipping quality from the field.
Chief Markets: early fresh market and early chipping.

Moderately resistant: common scab, early blight, leaf roll, tuber net necrosis.
Susceptible: PVA, PVY.

References: 1, 6.