Origin of the First European Potatoes and their Reaction to Length of Day

Abstract

MR. HAWKES¹ has stated, with reference to the first European potatoes, that “S. andigenum, although mainly short day in photoperiodic reaction, does possess certain day neutral and even long day clones.… If, by any chance, one of these was introduced into Europe, then there would be no reason at all why it should not have yielded well from the very first.” Recently, he and Mr. Driver² stated in Nature: “There is no reason why the original short-day forms from the Andes could not maintain themselves under European conditions though giving a reduced yield. This is what happens when the recently collected Andean forms are grown under the longer days of Great Britain.” In both quotations the underlying idea is that the first European potatoes would have been at a disadvantage as regards yield, if they had been short-day in reaction. This idea is substantially the same as that of Russian workers. It is not supported by the evidence, as I have already pointed out³, but it is very prevalent and further comment seems desirable.