Cultivar Corner: Lelah
Parentage: S440 x ND3828-5
Developers: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Plant Variety Protection: Pending
Incentives for production: Attractive and uniform tubers with long-term (9 months) and cold chipping ability (<47F). Specific gravity is high. Lelah is less susceptible to common scab than Snowden, and tuber glycoalkaloid levels are significantly lower than for Snowden.
Morphological Characteristics
Plant: Medium-sized vine with white flowers. Vine has semi-erect growth habit. Lelah averages about 2.2 stems per hill. Flower production is high with abundant pollen and medium to high fruit production.
Tubers: Bright white color with smooth skin texture. Very uniform tubers, with round-oval shape, medium thickness, and very shallow eyes.
Agronomic Characteristics
Vine Maturity: Medium-early. Lelah is about 14 days earlier than Snowden.
Yield Potential: Medium. Yield potential is lower than for Snowden.
Specific Gravity: High (higher than Snowden).
Culinary Quality: Best suited for chipping. Boiled potatoes do not produce after-cooking darkening and tuber consistency is firm.
Diseases/Pests/Physiological Disorders: No specific disease resistances have been identified, however, common scab tolerance is greater for Lelah than for Snowden. Hollow heart is occasionally noted.
Storability: Lelah stores well and has long dormancy. Under cold storage conditions, chip processing quality is retained at least 45 days beyond that of Snowden. Lelah demonstrates excellent quality into June and occasionally July, from storage in northern production areas.
Cultural Information: Tolerant of metribuzin applications. Nutritional requirements may be similar to those of Snowden.
Strengths: Lelah is an exceptional long-term storage chipper, due to low reducing sugar levels, chip processing quality through nine months in storage at 47F, and its high specific gravity.
Weaknesses: Medium plant vigor, low stem number, moderate yield potential, and occasional hollow heart.
Seed Availability: Certified seed is available from seed producers in Wisconsin. Please consult the Wisconsin Certified Seed Potato Directory.
