Journal Article

Fresh Market Evaluation of Six Russet-Type Potato Varieties and Four Russet Norkotah Strains

Spear, Rulon R., Pavek, Mark J., Holden, Zach J.

2017

Overview

In 2016, Russet Norkotah was the second most widely grown potato variety in the US; however, recent research has identified alternatives with excellent production economics. During 2011–2013, fresh market variety research was conducted in the Columbia Basin of central Washington, a long-season production region. Russet Norkotah was compared to five varieties–Classic Russet, Mountain Gem Russet, Russet Burbank, Targhee Russet, and Teton Russet–and four sub-clonal strains–CO-3, CO-8, TX-278, and TX-296–derived from Russet Norkotah. Each variety was evaluated for early- (104 days between planting and vine kill) and late- (150 days between planting and vine kill) harvest tuber size profile, grade, and yield, grower economic value, susceptibility to blackspot bruise and shatter bruise, emergence, stem and at-harvest tuber numbers, tuber length-to-width ratios, and quality. When harvested early, Classic Russet and Mountain Gem Russet produced 30% and 15% more gross revenue than Russet Norkotah, respectively. All other varieties and Russet Norkotah strains except CO-3 produced as much early-harvest gross revenue as Russet Norkotah. CO-3 early-harvest revenue was close to 50% lower than that of Russet Norkotah. All varieties and Russet Norkotah strains produced significantly greater late-harvest yields and gross returns than Russet Norkotah. Late-harvest gross revenue for Targhee Russet and Mountain Gem Russet was 38% and 34% higher than Russet Norkotah, respectively. Classic Russet, Mountain Gem Russet, Targhee Russet, and Teton Russet had significantly more shatter bruise following the late harvest than Russet Norkotah and all Russet Norkotah strains. Russet Burbank was among the most susceptible to blackspot and Targhee Russet the least, with 32% and 2.1%, respectively. If bruising is mitigated, Mountain Gem Russet, Classic Russet, and Teton Russet may be suitable alternatives to Russet Norkotah and Russet Norkotah strains for both early and late harvests .

• Publisher: Springer US,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Agriculture / basins / Biomedical and Life Sciences / Blackspot / Bruising / economic valuation / Economics / fresh market / harvest date / income / Infections / Life Sciences / Plant Breeding/Biotechnology / Plant Genetics and Genomics / Plant Pathology / Plant Sciences / Planting / Potatoes / production economics / Quality / Revenue / Slopes / tubers / vines / Washington (state)