Assessment of Yield Potential of Different Potato (Solanum Tuberosum L.) Varieties for Seed Production at High Altitude Research Station Naltar Gilgit

Introduction: Potato (Solanum tuberosam L.) in Pakistan has gained an important place as being a very economical food crop for both producers and the consumers. It is ranked as fourth importantly cultivated crop by volume after the staple food crops (wheat, rice and maize) (Ahmadu et al., 2021), so it plays a significant role to eradicate hunger in the world by feeding more peoples especially in the developing countries including Pakistan (Shiferaw et al., 2013). Being a member of Solanaceae family its species were originated from the tropical and southern areas of America (Peru as center of origin) as reported by Seifu and Betewulign, 2017. Potato having a high nutritive value and these contributes more protein and iron than other vegetables in the average diet and are also useful sources of thiamine, niacin and several other nutrients including fiber (Gupta & Gupta, 2019). Almost 86% of potato area and production of Pakistan is achieved from Punjab i.e. Okara, Sahiwal, Kasur, Sialkot, Sheikhupura, Jhang, Narowal, Pak Pattan, Gujranwala, Tobatech Singh, Khanewal and Lahore (Bakhsh & Ahmad, 2006). Remaining share is produced by KPK 9%, Baluchistan 4.5% and Sindh 0.5%. Pakistan is self-sufficient in potatoes for household consumption and relies for more than 99% on locally produced seed potatoes (Navarre et al., 2009). Presently, it is estimated that the total annual domestic production amounts to around 2.02 Million MT of which 280000 MT is used as seed and 1.7 Million MT is available for consumption after post-harvest losses with a population of roughly 150 Million, this accounts to 11 Kg per capita per annum (Calıskan et al., 2022). According to Gilgit Baltistan Agriculture Statistics survey report 2014, potato is grown on an area of 9,116 hectares with a seed requirement of 16,868 tones and total production of 128,073 tons per annum. Out of the total produce, 19,853 tons is consumed locally, 108,220 ton is marketed in down country (Khan and Malik, 2023). The agro-ecological conditions of GB are highly suited for Seed Potato production for both spring and autumn crops of plains (Punjab and KPK Hussain et al.). In 2021-22 the total area under potato crop is 193.4 thousand hectares and total production is 4584.3 thousand tons, having a seed demand of 1,33,000 tons/annum (Agriculture Statistics of Pakistan 2021-2022). Currently Pakistan imports 9000-12000 tons seed potato annually investing huge foreign exchange, rest of the seed demand is met with poor quality seed resulting quite low yields. The potato sector also poses big opportunities for the GB potato grower to enter into the national market (Boubaker et al., 2023). Harvesting time of potato in GB starts from mid-July and continues up to end of September and during this season, there is stressing demand from corporate sector potato processor e.g. Lays chips of Pepsi-cola Pakistan and the small land holders can fetch ensured premium prices by producing potato (seed and table purpose) of varieties suited for table potato and value addition (chips) due to favorable environment, high isolated valleys and long sunny days, GB is just like a greenhouse for production of disease-free high quality seed potato, not only for local sowing but very important for autumn to autumn cycle in down country. The region of GB serves as a hub to secure national seed potato sector. This is the reason that the area wise share of GB potato in Pakistan is 6 % and production wise share is 10 % in respectively (Rehman et al., 2019). Key words: Potato, Solanum, tuberosum, exotic varieties, abiotic conditions, RCBD, analysis of variance, Naltar, Babusar, Gilgit-Baltistan.