Abstract
The Neshannock potato variety was developed in the early nineteenth century in Pennsylvania by John and James Gilkey. This variety rose very rapidly in popularity across the United States. During the Irish Famine in the 1840s large quantities of this variety were shipped to Ireland to feed the hungry. Its demise by the end of the nineteenth century was probably caused by the combination of the lack of a seed potato certification system and a plethora of new varieties. Even though this variety is now extinct and apparently without records of it having been used as a parent in breeding, it nevertheless occupies an important place in American potato history.
Resumen
La variedad de papa Neshannock fue desarrollada a principios del siglo XIX en Pensilvania por John y James Gilkey. Esta variedad aumentó rápidamente en popularidad en los Estados Unidos. Durante la hambruna irlandesa en la década de 1840 grandes cantidades de esta variedad fueron enviadas a Irlanda para alimentar a los hambrientos. Su desaparición a finales del siglo XIX probablemente fue causada por la combinación de la falta de un sistema de certificación de semilla de papa y una abundancia de nuevas variedades. A pesar de que esta variedad está ahora extinta y aparentemente sin registros de que ha sido utilizada como progenitor en mejoramiento genético, no obstante, ocupa un lugar importante en la historia de la papa norteamericana.
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Acknowledgments
The author thanks Dr. W.J. Lamont Jr., Pennsylvania State University and Mr. R.E. Leiby, Pennsylvania Co-Op Potato Growers Inc. for their enthusiastic support and comments. The invaluable assistance of A. Seidel, Mercer County Historical Society is much appreciated. The staff members of the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission A. Lowery, J. Staub, K. Galle, S. Doyle and B. Van Sweden very efficiently provided the photograph of the Neshannock marker.
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De Jong, H. Neshannock, the First Popular Potato Variety Developed in North America. Am. J. Potato Res. 98, 344–346 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-021-09835-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-021-09835-2