Harimaru: a new potato variety for a local specialty

‘Harimaru’ is a new potato variety bred from a cross between ‘Saikai 35’ as a female parent and ‘Pike’ as a male parent. Marker selection was performed for 1,647 seedlings to combine resistance genes to late blight (R1), Potato virus Y (Ry(chc)), Potato virus X (Rx1), and golden cyst nematode (H1). In total, 194 selected clones were evaluated in the field, among which the best clone was officially released as ‘Harimaru’. Its yield was slightly lower than the local standard variety, ‘May Queen’. However, it produces tasty potatoes, that do not become mushy with long boiling times despite its high starch content. ‘Harimaru’ may become a local specialty potato and its multiple resistance to potato viruses may allow cultivation using homemade seed tubers from the previous season’s crop.