Kennebec (USDA Seedling # B70-5)

Parentage – USDA 96-56 (Chippewa x Katahdin) x B127 (3895-13 x Earlaine)^1,2,3

Breeder – Released by the USDA and Maine Agricultural Experiment Station in 1948²

Maturity – Late-season^1,3

Usage –Excellent for boiling and baking^1,2,3; ideal for chipping and French frying^2,3

Plant – Large, spreading structure^1,2; thick, green, prominently angled stems; slightly waved stem wings^1,3

Leaves – Dark green, long, broad shape; four pairs of ovate, large primary leaflets; numerous secondary leaflets between primary leaflets; few to no tertiary leaflets; green petioles^1,3

Flowers – Medium size, white with orange-yellow anthers^1,3; abundant pollen¹; flowers often abort before opening²

Tubers – Oblong to elliptical, smooth; creamy buff colored, thin skin^1,2,3; white flesh; shallow creamy buff colored eyes with medium prominent eyebrows^1,3; medium tuber maturity^1,2; medium to high specific gravity^1,2

Strengths – Widely adapted; produces high yield of US #1 grade tubers^1,2,3; tubers readily detach from vines at harvest¹; highly resistant to common races (R1 gene resistance) of late blight^1,2 and to mild mosaic virus such as potato virus A and Y¹

Weaknesses – Highly susceptible to Verticillium wilt and pink eye^1,2,3; susceptible to common scab and Rhizoctonia³; moderately susceptible to potato leafroll virus but net necrosis symptoms not typically observed^1,3; misshapen tubers may form under warmer growing conditions²

References: ¹Akeley R. V. et al. 1948. Kennebec: A New Potato Variety Resistant to Late Blight, Mild Mosaic, and Net Necrosis. American Journal of Potato Research 25:351-361. ²https://www.potatoassociation.org/industry/varieties/white-varieties/kennebec-solanum-tuberosum

³http://wwwspection.gc.ca/plants/potatoes/potato-varieties/kennebec/eng/1312587385767/1312587385768

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Last Revised: 4/25/2019

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This article was posted in Fact Sheet.