GENERAL ADAPTABILITY OF POTATO GENOTYPES SELECTED IN THE UK FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION

The recombinant genotypes generated with a potato breeding scheme cann ot always be evaluated over the range of environments for which cultiv ar development is aimed. At the Scottish Crop Research Institute, the cultivar breeding programme aims to develop genotypes which perform we ll in one or more environments in the UK and/or countries around the M editerranean basin. In each of three years (1984, 1985 and 1986) betwe en 40 and 50 potato genotypes were selected solely on their phenotypic performance in an environment just south of Edinburgh in Scotland. Th ese were then trialled at sites in four environments in the typical wa re-producing regions of England and four environments around the Medit erranean region. Despite significant genotype x environment interactio ns for many traits, the superior genotypes tended to perform well over a wide range of environments.