Evaluation of Agronomic Traits and Processing Traits in Ten Varieties of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) in Jos-Plateau State, Nigeria

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) has become an important food crop in Sub-Saharan Africa. It high yield, shorter growth cycle (90-120 days) compared to other food crops, and nutritional properties make it an important crop in the quest for food security in Sub-Sahara Africa. The experiment was conducted to evaluate the best potato varieties for chips. Ten potato (Solanum tuberrosum) varieties; Nicola, China Var, Mandola, Caruso, Yellow, Delice, SP and Famosa were obtained from the National Root Crop Research Institute (NRCRI), Kuru, Jos, Plateau state, Nigeria and were evaluated for their processing (chips) and agronomic quality attributes. To determine the chips quality, the harvested tubers were peeled, sliced to a thickness of 2 mm and deep fried in vegetable frying oil at initial temperature of 1800C for 4 min. sensory evaluation was conducted for colour, taste and crispiness. The result showed that there were significant differences among the varieties in chip quality except for crispiness. Marable, Nicola, Caruso, Condor, China Var, and Famosa had the best tuber quality for chip processing.