Potatoes - Mayan Gold
Mayan Gold is a new potato variety (Solanum tuberosum Group Phureja,
also known as S. phureja) bred by SCRI, Invergowrie, Scotland's
leading Institute for research on crops and plants, in partnership with
Greenvale AP. Mayan Gold has yellow flesh and elongated tubers,
bearing more resemblance to the potatoes eaten in Peru than the varieties we
usually buy in the UK. Potatoes originate in Peru and, typically, the
locals know what tastes best and eat these varieties by choice.
The challenge for scientists was to adapt S. phureja for growing
conditions in the British Isles: long days in summer, short days in
winter, temperature and water availability. This work was started by
scientists in the 1960's at the Scottish Plant Breeding Station,
Pentlandfield and moved to SCRI when Pentlandfield closed. Mayan Gold
has a floury texture, excellent taste, golden coloured flesh, is rich
in carotenoids and cooks extremely quickly.
info. above from Sharon Neilson, SCRI, Invergowrie, Dundee; many thanks.
Another person contacting the website made the remark that "Inca Gold" might be
considered a better name because the species is not found in Mayan territory; it
is popular in the Andean countries, and is called there "papas amarillas"
(yellow potatoes). These have an orangy-yellow flesh with very high dry matter;
locals pay a premium for them.
My yield was around 1.5 lb in a 3 gallon pot. Probably better grown in a 2 gallon; my plants were quite small.
Pictures (click on small images for detail):
Flowers: usually abort - no pictures available
Tubers
Tubers - another picture -note the faint purple splash at one end.
Nigel Deacon / Diversity website
