YUNGAY

Potato Variety Information

Variety Name: YungayRights Holder | Breeder: CIPCountry of Origin:

PeruYear of of introduction: 1970

Variety Description

The Yungay potato is an improved or hybrid variety, characterized by its high yield and commercial value.

The nutritional value of the Yungay potato is very similar to that of other varieties with semi-white pulp.

Features

It is considered a highly adaptable potato, especially for growing at heights.
It produces uniform, oval tubers, small to medium in size (never large), and yellow skin with tiny dark spots on the surface.
The color of its flesh varies from pale yellow (almost white) to cream.
The Yungay potato plant is robust, with large leaves and frequent flowering.
The growth stage of the Yungay usually lasts between 150 and 165 days; it is said to have a rapid and late development.
Its cultivation produces high yields, being a variety resistant to common pests, for example, the late blight parasite and the rhizoctoniasis fungus.
It is very similar to the yellow potato, but its shelf life is longer. It can be stored for a long period without losing taste.
The Yungay potato is used for different uses in the kitchen. It is usually a great option for making soups, stews, purees, roasts, and French fries.

Origin and Breeding History

Yungay is one of the varieties obtained by the famous Peruvian agronomist and researcher Carlos Ochoa.

This tuber was the result of different crosses between native potatoes and exotic varieties brought from Europe, the United States, and the Chilean island Chiloé.

The liberation of its cultivation occurred in 19702.

Genetically, the Yungay potato is very different from the native Peruvian varieties. To obtain it, several crosses were necessary: a first cross between the foreign varieties Earline and Saskia, a second cross between the native Renacimiento and Huagalina potatoes, as well as a third between the tubers obtained in the two previous crosses.

The origin of the name Yungay is directly linked to the district of the same name, located in the northern region of the country.

Yungay, the main city, is located at an altitude of 2,500 meters and 450 kilometers from Lima, the Peruvian capital.

This variety is also known locally by the name of 'white potato'.