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Purchase seeds or tubers of Solanum dolichocremastrum

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Description

Solanum dolichocremastrum is a wild potato species native to Peru.  Plants reach about two feet tall.  Tubers moniliform or terminal and ovate, small, and scarce.  Stolons ranging in length from a few inches to more than 18.  Flower light blue or white with light blue.

The specific epithet, dolichocremastrum, means something like “long hanging” or “hanging down,” referring to the flowers.  It is formed from the Greek words “dolichos,” for “long,” and “cremastos,” for “stem.”  While there is no completely standardized pronunciation for scientific names, the most common way to pronounce this species is probably so-LAY-num doh-li-koh-kree-MASS-truhm.

Resistances

Vega (1995) found that this species is less frost tolerant than domesticated potato.

Condition	Type	Level of Resistance	Source
Phytophthora infestans (Late Blight)	Fungus	Resistant	Champouret 2010
Phytophthora infestans (Late Blight)	Fungus	Not Resistant	Gonzales 2002, Tiwari 2015

Glykoalkaloid content

I have found no information published for this species, but the tubers are mildly bitter.

Images

Cultivation

I found this species difficult to germinate from genebank seed, but my seeds have germinated at nearly 100%.  Tubers are scarce with this species, or perhaps they are very late forming.  I have found perhaps two or three strings of moniliform tubers or singles per plant with a mid-November harvest.

Accessions Evaluated

The following accessions were examined to prepare this profile.  I have evaluated 4/4 accessions currently available from the US Potato Genebank.

PI 498234

Moderate germination and slow seedling growth.

PI 498235

Moderate germination and strong seedling growth.

PI 498236

Poor germination and weak seedling growth.

PI 498237

Moderate germination and slow seedling growth.

Breeding

Crosses with S. tuberosum

Female	Male	Berry Set	Seed Set	Germ	Ploidy	Source
S. tuberosum	S. dolichocremastrum	Low	None			Jackson (1999)

Crosses with other species

Jackson (1999) found 1-4% 2n pollen for varieties of this species.

Female	Male	Berry Set	Seed Set	Germ	Ploidy	Source

References

Solanum dolichocremastrum at Solanaceae Source

Solanum dolichocremastrum at GRIN Taxonomy

Solanum dolichocremastrum at CIP