International Journal of Horticulture, 2025, Vol.15, No.1, 1-7 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/ijh 2 cultivated land by the end of 2023, adjusting some facility agricultural land and introducing suitable grain crops for experimental demonstration. Potato, as a high-yield and highly adaptable crop, becomes an ideal experimental subject in this context. Selecting fresh potato varieties suitable for local cultivation can not only improve the utilization rate of arable land, but also expand the development path of local agriculture, providing farmers with more economically valuable planting choices (Khalid et al., 2019; Kant et al., 2020). Based on the agricultural production needs of Changxing County, this study selected five fresh-eating potato varieties for a field comparison trial, systematically evaluating their growth characteristics, yield performance, tuber traits, and culinary quality to identify high-yield and high-quality varieties suitable for local promotion. The results of this study will provide a scientific basis for selecting potato varieties for cultivation in Changxing County and surrounding areas, offer theoretical support for optimizing cultivation models, and promote the scaled development of the fresh-eating potato industry. 2 Results and Analysis 2.1 Yield performance of tested varieties The five potato varieties exhibited significant differences in yield performance at the experimental site. Among them, ‘Zheshu956’ had the highest yield, with a plot yield of 27.16 kg, corresponding to a converted yield of 31 055.55 kg/ha. ‘Mira’ followed closely, with a yield of 30 621.00 kg/ha, demonstrating strong yield stability. The yield of ‘Zheshu974’ was 27 876.75 kg/ha, slightly lower than ‘Zheshu956’ and ‘Mira,’ but its smaller tubers were more abundant, making it suitable for specific market demands. ‘Zheshu927’ and ‘Zheshu926’ had yields of 23 657.55 kg/ha and 23 668.95 kg/ha, respectively, both significantly lower than the other varieties, indicating weaker yield potential (Table 1). Table 1 Yield and field performance of 5 tested potato varieties Variety Plot yield (kg) Yield (kg/ha) Field performance Zheshu956 27.16 31055.55 Early emergence,vigorous growth Zheshu927 20.69 23657.55 Average growth Zheshu974 24.38 27876.75 Good growth Zheshu926 20.70 23668.95 Poor growth Mira 26.78 30621.00 Growing vigorously Note: Plot area= 8.75 m2 From the yield data, ‘Zheshu956’ and ‘Mira’ not only exhibited high yields but also maintained stable growth throughout the growing season, indicating strong environmental adaptability. Although ‘Zheshu974’ had a slightly lower yield, its smaller but more numerous tubers catered to higher market demand. In contrast, ‘Zheshu927’ and ‘Zheshu926’ had lower yields and weaker field performance, making them unsuitable for large-scale promotion in Changxing County. 2.2 Field growth performance All tested varieties successfully emerged after sowing, but there were noticeable differences in emergence timing and rate. ‘Zheshu956’ and ‘Mira’ emerged earlier, displayed vigorous growth, expanded leaves rapidly, and achieved high field coverage, demonstrating good adaptability. ‘Zheshu974’ emerged slightly later but maintained balanced growth and overall strong field performance. In contrast, ‘Zheshu927’ and ‘Zheshu926’ had slower emergence, shorter plants, weaker growth, and lower field coverage (Table 1; Figure 1). During plant growth, the tested varieties exhibited differences in plant height, branching patterns, leaf color, and disease resistance. ‘Zheshu956’ and ‘Mira’ had taller plants, more branches, broad and dark green leaves, and vigorous growth, showing strong resistance to diseases. ‘Zheshu974’ had moderate plant height, a balanced number of branches, and slightly lighter leaf color but maintained uniform growth. In contrast, ‘Zheshu927’ and ‘Zheshu926’ were shorter, had fewer branches, smaller leaves, and weaker overall growth. These varieties were more susceptible to disease during the trial period, indicating lower resistance.
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