2019 ASHS Annual Conference

One of the two potato relatives native to the USA is Solanum jamesii (jam), originating in the Four-Corners states and western Texas. The US Potato genebank has collected and studied over 200 populations since 1958. The species is of interest for research and breeding by virtue of its resistance traits for pests, such as extreme late blight (Phytophthora infestans), nematodes and insects. Furthermore, the tubers have long dormancy, freezing tolerance and are exceptionally nutritious, containing high levels of antioxidants that inhibit prostate cancer. Although considered a wild species, it is often associated with ancient native habitation sites, suggesting its natural history may have been influenced by cultivation and transport by humans for over 10,000 years. We grew 130 populations from across the natural range in a cultivated field at the NMSU Agricultural Science Center research farm at Farmington during the 2016 and 2017 seasons. Plants growing in the wild often occupy shady habitats in mulch or among rocks and are usually small and without flowers. Plants at Farmington’s irrigated, open field plots in a sandy loam soil, however, exhibited robust growth and flowering, and attracted abundant bumble bee pollinators that encouraged fruit set. This demonstrates that sexual reproduction under ancient human cultivation may have been much more prevalent than previously assumed. Contrary to expectations, little difference in shoot morphology was observed among populations. In contrast to other studies, all populations tuberized readily but with no marked differences in tuber size that could be associated with origin from human habitation sites. All tubers subjected to freezing tests were extremely hardy but with some indication that populations from wild sites are slightly more freeze hardy. This survey of jam growing in the Farmington field made it possible to make observations and collect tuber samples for analysis that were relevant to the climate and soil to which this species is naturally adapted, and allowed us to detect subtle effects that can now be tested with more focused studies. The ASC Farmington is also engaged in conventional table and chip cultivar trials of S. tuberosum and perhaps ideal breeding traits from S. jamesii could be introduced into S. tuberosum. Or perhaps the S. jamesii, could become a reintroduced component of a culturally appropriate dietary source or, southwestern/Native food-ways-branded food.