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Old September 25, 2011   #45
wmontanez
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: MA
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I will try...

Quote:
My initial thought was that I would be able to start potato plants from seed, save seed from the plants I grow so I have seed for the following season (like tomatoes).
You can plant true seed (TPS) and get more berries with TPS to save. I have done that BUT they are more like hybrid tomatoes seeds because the true potato seed have diversity in the genes. If you plant TPS seeds, all the plants are not identical. You can end up with different color tubers!

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TPS to start plants to generate seed potatoes that can be planted
The potato plant grown from TPS will develop potatoes and you can replant those the next year but again you will get diverse potatoes and you will need to select those you like to replant.


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Can someone clear up my confusion? When using TPS can a person continually save seed and replant the seed in future years (and get a crop of a stabilized potato) or is the seed for the purpose of starting a seed potato that then can be saved from year to year?
Stabilized potato? TPS gives you new varieties of potato. You have to select those you like and continue to plant via vegetative cloning by planting a tuber etc and saving them each year. But the TPS has the information locked in so you could replant few years later and refresh those you like.

Did I make you more confused?
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