It seems that TPS are going to be diverse

In late March I was ready to transplant my 12 potato seedlings to larger individual containers because they already overgrowed their 4 in pots. Some of them already measured 6 inches. Usin several 1/3 gallon plastic juice containers I started filling my bigger containers with some soil and assigned a number to them: TPS#1 through TPS#12.

Since my plants have marked differences, I decided to write in their container any noticeable characteristics. For instance TPS#1 has a bit of rust or red colored areas where the leaves meet the main stem. To my surprise, when I removed the plant from its pot, I found several pea size purple potato tubers already forming in the stolons. I removed several to use as seed tubers to clone this plant and double my chances of successfully harvest some of the potatoes.

I continued to pot TPS#2, this has more color in the stem and the veins of the leaves and was no surprise to find tuber forming as well and as I expected their were purple as well, although the skin color was actually darker than TPS#1, almost black.

The third plant was a little different, the color of the plant was very similar to TPS#1 but the tubers found were not purple as I though it was going to be but mauve color. Interesting, maybe later plant TPS #3 would have more color differences from the first. I kept transplanting some more. Now I am curious about those with green stem and no obvious color in the veins of the leaves. Could they be white? So the next one, TPS#4, is a green one. I removed from it's container and saw the white tubers. Good. I seem to be catching up to the plant clues, the stem is the skin color, now the question is what is the color inside?

I have to wait, I don't want to sacrifice a tiny tuber that have the potential of being a productive plant, just to satisfy my curiosity. Took another plant, TPS#5, green stem, no color on the leaves and to my surprise the tubers are not white but the most beautiful pink. Very interesting...and I though I was reading the clues that the plants had with their coloration, I guess is not as easy as I though. The others turn to be TPS#6, white, TPS#7, purple, TPS#8 bi-color mauve with cream color on the apical end, TPS#9, purple, TPS#10, white, TPS#11 and TPS#12 have no potatoes formed yet. They are smaller than the other 10 so I left them in the same pots to grow more. Also those look like vines with tiny leaves.

From all the plants I got 25 seed tubers. What is the color of their flesh i wonder? I have to wait about 1 month or month and a half to put them in the garden. Each tiny tuber has the potential of growing a plant like a regular potato seed. I place them in a warm spot to break their dormancy and wait until they pipp up to plant directly in the garden once is 50F at night with the rest of the TPS seedlings.

The first 10 plants are now waiting for transplant day in their larger container pots.