[trunk monkey]

The dreaded blight has struck our allotments   . I grow first earlies, (Winston, Harlequin and Casablanca) so that they can be lifted and a reduced crop salvaged. However, I am considering planting varieties with more blight resistance next year. I know about the Sarpo varieties but I have heard some negative reports about their flavour. Consequently, I am considering other blight resistant varieties, e.g. Orla, Cara Kestrel, etc. I would appreciatw any advice and opinions from members of the forum concerning the flavour and blight resistance of these and other sinilar varieties.
Regards Jack and his half full sacks.

[mumofstig]

I'm afraid they have little resistance to the new strains of blight, which have developed over the last few years 

[Nobbie]

Try Sarpo Mira, my plot neighbour likes them. You may like them grown on your soil, nothing much to lose.

[azubah]

I have grown them for the last few years and have found them to have green leaves on them for months after the others have died down with blight. Some of the tubers were huge, but can be prone to bacterial rots.
I suggest, if you are not sure of the taste, just grow a few and swap excess tubers with other people who also want to try them.

[Markw]

I am growing three of them that are on your list.
It is the first year I have grown Sarpo Mira so I am unable to comment on the taste, but they are getting very big already.
Cara grow well on my plot and make some fine baking potato's with a good taste I do find that are prone to scab.
Orla this is my first year growing these. They have an excellent flavour, you can grow them as either a first/ second early or even an early main crop, they are a very good heavy cropper.  they are a winner for me and I will be growing them next year. They say that they have a good blight resistance.

[mumofstig]

RHS says

The genetic population of the fungus is ever changing and new findings have shown that one dominant new strain seems to have overcome major gene resistance. In the past some potato varieties had shown some resistance, these included ‘Cara’, ‘Kondor’, ‘Orla’, ‘Markies’ and ‘Valor’, but this is not currently effective. The ‘Sarpo’ range exhibit more effective resistance than other cultivars and can be grown satisfactorily without fungicide protection. Some old favourites are very susceptible, eg ‘Arran Pilot’, ‘King Edward’, ‘Majestic’, ‘Sharpe’s Express’. Varieties that were previously rated resistant have been retested against this new dominant strain and the results have been published.

http://rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=217

The link to the new varietal resistance info download, is here
http://www.potato.org.uk/publications/varietal-resistance-13-a2

[Markw]

Thanks for posting the link Lesley, It is very interesting reading. I still spray for blight ok it won't stop it but everything helps.

[Grubbypaws]

My sarpo mira are so far the only variety to have succumbed; so much for resistance 

Pink fir apple are right next to them and so far are completely healthy and they taste gorgeous 

[mumofstig]

Are you sure the Sarpo went down with blight?
That would be very unusual, especially if the PFA didn't get it, as they are very susceptible.

[Grubbypaws]

Absolutely certain MOS. It hasn’t killed the sarpo but I have had to remove a lot of foliage so I am not sure what the yield will be like.

On another post someone mentioned that they had blight on their sarpo and commented on a concern that if it didn’t kill the plant we might get complacent and not remove infected foliage thereby leaving the spores to spread.

My pink fir apple are fine. I posted something about this last year. The PFA were literally cheek to jowl with infected plants but stayed healthy.

Maybe they are resistant to this new strain??