NE1731: Collaborative Potato Breeding and Variety Development Activities to Enhance Farm Sustainability in the Eastern US

(Multistate Research Project)

Status: Inactive/Terminating

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SAES-422 Reports

Annual/Termination Reports:

[04/27/2018] [09/12/2019] [06/30/2020] [04/02/2021] [02/20/2022] [04/28/2023]

Date of Annual Report: 04/27/2018

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 01/04/2018 - 01/05/2018
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2016 - 09/30/2017

Participants

Participants Attachment:

NE1731 minutes 2018 final.doc

Brief Summary of Minutes

Minutes from the last meeting were approved. Site selection for the 2019 meeting was discussed. The committee agreed that Beltsville, MD is a good meeting location for the group, Kathy Haynes agreed to host, and January 3-4 or 7-8, 2019 were chosen as possible the meeting dates. A final decision on the dates will depend on conflicts with other meeting dates. A resolutions committee consisting of Mark Clough, Craig Yencho, and Walter De Jong was appointed. Local arrangements details were covered.

An administrative advisor report was provided by Dean Frederick Servello. He noted the successful rewrite and stated that he was happy to be our new administrative advisor. He encouraged us to apply for ESS Excellence in Multistate Research Award; in his view our project is well integrated and has impact. Application is on NERA website.

Jeff Steiner provided a report from USDA-NIFA via Skype. He provided an overview of administrative procedures and all of the federal programs that can support potato research. Including: potato breeding special grant ($1.8M), Hatch Act ($244M), Smith-Lever ($300M), crop protection and management program ($17M), sustainable agriculture research and education (SARE) ($25M), IR-4 ($12M), specialty crop and research initiative (SCRI) ($55M), organic research and extension initiative (OREI) ($19M), USDA-State potato partnerships ($1.2M), and agriculture and food research initiative (AFRI) ($350M). Industry can apply for rural development value-added producer grants, as well as to the small business innovation research (SBIR), beginning farmers and ranchers, and federal-state marketing programs.

Research presentations were as follows:

Kathy Haynes discussed her program’s direction for the next five years. Focus is on meeting biotic (late blight, common scab, soft rot) and abiotic (heat tolerance, reduced nitrogen) constraints to eastern US potato production.

Chris Clarke started one year ago and provided an overview of his research with common scab. Is looking for host susceptibility factors to scab, reasoning that silencing them may confer resistance. An interesting, unrelated observation: cultivars Red Norland, Ranger Russet and Upstate Abundance are unusual in that they are susceptible to some scab strains, resistant to others.

Xinshun Qu is conducting GWAS to identify loci associated with resistance to early and late blight. 234 cultivars, 21K SNP array. Has detected EB loci on chromosome 5, LB loci on chromosomes 1, 3 and 5.

Lincoln Zotarelli reported on research to characterize the high nitrogen utilization efficiency of chacoense. Has developed an in vitro system to study this. The chacoense root system is much more prolific than tuberosum. He also reported on selecting clones for the Papa Criolla market (small tubers, deep yellow flesh) from long day adapted phu-stn.

State and provincial reports were given describing production status, promising clones, and market needs.

FL – 30,000 acres. Dry and windy weather early meant than growers who planted late (i.e., February) did better.

ME – 49,000 acres. 60% fry and chips (latter mostly Frito-Lay). Chip growers seem to be doing well, are building new storages. Low rainfall during July and August (when tubers bulk). Growers who irrigate did better than those who do not. No serious disease issues in 2017

NY – 16,000 acres. A lot of rain in May, so much planting was delayed, yields down accordingly.

NC – 14,000 acres. Acreage remains steady, but number of growers is decreasing. 70% chip, 30% table. Incidence of internal heat necrosis was low this year.

OH – 3500 acres. Also experiencing consolidation (fewer growers, acreage steady). Volatile rainfall and temperatures but in the end, yields were good.

PA – 5000 acres. 50% chip, 50% table. Good growing season, yields better than average, but specific gravities were low. High incidence of virus in the powdery scab trial, hosted by a farmer, may preclude further powdery scab trials there.

Comments from industry representatives in attendance at the meeting:

Curtis Frederick from Sterman Masser: his employer is a packer that also grows 1500 acres of potatoes. They are looking to develop varieties for the mid-Atlantic, to reduce shipping costs; their own production only supplies 5% of what they pack. Would especially like a regionally adapted russet, as russets are currently the bulk of sales. The convenience segment, which prizes uniformity, smooth skin, and shallow eyes, is growing rapidly.

Plant Pathology and breeding program reports were presented by participants.

Greg Porter distributed common and powdery scab trial data for all NE1731 entries. Noted that his colleague Jay Hao screens for resistance to pink rot, and that U Maine also tests virus reaction for all NE1731 entries.

Xinshun Qu distributed results of early and late blight testing from PA (good data in 2017), as well as powdery scab trial results.

Agnes Murphy (AAFC Fredericton) has now retired. Virginia Dickison has replaced her and has some added responsibilities beyond plant pathology. She is continuing the wart and scab screening for the project. Data for reaction to wart, conducted in Newfoundland, was distributed. Scab screening data will be emailed later this year.

Breeding program reports were presented.

50% russets, 40% whites, 10% reds and specialty. About 50,000 single hills each year, save between 2 and 2.5%. ‘Sebec’ has a lot of merit, but not yet taking off. ‘Caribou Russet’ is doing well, both for fry and fresh, but susceptibility to internal heat necrosis limits it to northern areas. ‘Pinto Gold’ (red and yellow skin, yellow flesh) is doing well in the specialty market.

New York. 18,000 seedlings, save 7%. 70% chip / 30% fresh. NY141 was released as ‘Algonquin’, NY150 was released as ‘Upstate Abundance’. NY152 will likely be named and released in 2018 (name not yet chosen).

North Carolina. 12,000 seedlings, save 2.5%. 70% chip / 30% other. NC470-3, a round to oblong PVY-resistant chipper that starts to bulk early, is promising. Two specialty clones of interest are NC507-15 (red skin, red flesh) and NC509-16 (purple skin, purple flesh). Program is now crossing twice a year: in fall (table and specialty crosses) and spring (for chipping). Resistance to CPB, GN and PVY are primary targets. Are using several markers routinely now to select for Ry-adg, Ry-sto, H1 and Ry-fsto.

USDA-ARS. Crossing block efforts included: diploid in-bred line development; diploid nitrogen use efficiency; 4x chipper x 2x late blight; chipping variety development, especially to introduce virus resistance; and diploid heat tolerance. 3,000 seedlings for variety development, 70 saved for 2018 (2.3%). The number of seedling for variety development was much lower than typical due to planting a large number of seedling tubers planted for genetic studies (1: seedling tubers from a diploid high specific gravity mapping population; 2: seedling tubers from a diploid late blight resistance mapping population; 3: seedling tubers from the S1 diploid generation). Distributed summary of research progress (3 pages).

The NE1731 seed nursery shopping list was distributed and each clone was discussed. No major changes were suggested for 2018.

Breeder’s choice selections for 2018 (all sites must evaluate these):

AF5040-8 (chips, higher gravity than Atlantic)

AF5280-5 (round white, fresh market, competitor for Envol)

AF5429-3 (chips)

NY152 (chips)

B3012-1 (chips)

Standard varieties to include in all NE1731 trials so K. Haynes can analyze G x E:

Atlantic

Dark Red Norland

Snowden

Superior

Yukon Gold

Mark Clough provided an update on the project website: the process of including data is working well on his end and the database is growing. People are welcomed to provide input on improvements. Reports can be posted on the web site. Mark Clough reminded all of a decision made last year that all evaluators would include a merit score for each clone tested. Where:

1 = outstanding

2 = good

3 = so-so

4 = not acceptable

Each evaluator is to integrate all the trial data they collect for each clone each year, along with their knowledge of the local potato industry, to arrive at the merit scores.

Greg Porter provided an update on the Eastern USDA-NIFA Special Grant for Potato Breeding Research. Appreciation was expressed to everyone for getting grant materials in on time. The 2017 proposal was funded. We now submit a proposal every two years, instead of every year. Our group should consider a submission to OREI.

NE1231 rewrite was successful, we are now NE1731. Porter distributed a draft impact statement, comments welcome. We need a list serve; Kleinhenz volunteered to set one up.

Committee Reports

Resolutions (approved unanimously):

We thank Dean Servello of the Univ. of Maine, College of Natural Sciences, Forestry, and Agriculture for agreeing to serve as our Administrative Advisor and for taking time to attend our meeting. Next year we will strive to ensure that Wash, DC is not so Maine-like in-terms of the weather.

We thank Greg Porter for his leadership and service as our project coordinator, including shepherding the special grant through each year.

We thank Curtis Frederick for attending this meeting and his willingness to contribute perspectives from the potato industry. We look forward to working closely in the future.

We thank our NIFA colleagues Anne Marie Thro and Megan O’Reilly for their continued guidance and participation in our meetings.

We thank Kathy Haynes for her willingness to host both this year’s and next year’s NE1731 meeting.

We thank all presenters and the entire NE1731 group for their thought provoking talks. We are fortunate to have such good collaborators.

Minutes Attachment:

NE1731 minutes 2018 final.doc

Accomplishments

Project Accomplishments: This multidisciplinary, regional project utilizes existing strengths and resources of the potato breeding and variety development community in the eastern US, and it encourages the pooling of regional resources and promotes increased communication within the potato community located in the northeast, mid-Atlantic and southeast. The overarching goal of this project is to identify new potato varieties for use in the Northeastern, mid-Atlantic and southeast US, which will contribute to a more sustainable and profitable potato industry. Many major US varieties, including Atlantic (the dominant out-of-field chipping variety in the US) and Lamoka (the dominant out-of-storage chipping variety in the US) are products of the coordinated eastern potato breeding and variety development effort. As such, the NE-1731 Project and its predecessors NE-1231, NE-1031, NE-1014, NE-184 and NE-107 have played a central role in eastern potato variety development for many years.    This regional project has: 1) allowed potato breeders to share breeding materials and test results; 2) along with the USDA NRSP6 Potato Germplasm Enhancement Project it has facilitated potato germplasm selection and evaluation under diverse environmental conditions by all the breeding programs in the eastern US; 3) given research and extension personnel the opportunity to evaluate new selections from several potato breeding programs; 4) facilitated regional germplasm screening for specific characteristics at a single location (e.g. early blight and powdery scab resistance in PA; scab and virus resistance in ME); 5) developed variety profiles and cultural recommendations for each selection put into commercial production; and 6) as noted above, resulted in the release and adoption of many of the major potato cultivars currently produced in the eastern US.   Potato breeding for improved quality and pest resistance was conducted in ME, NY, NC, and USDA-ARS Beltsville, MD during 2017. These four programs focus on specific pest and marketing issues, so that regional resources are used efficiently.  For example, ME is the only breeding program in the region which focuses on russets and long whites for processing (50% russets, 40% fresh and chipping whites, 10% specialty).  ME also emphasizes research on late blight, pink rot, potato virus Y, and scab resistance.   During 2017, our programs generated 671 new tetraploid families (317,541 seeds) from crosses using parents with desirable quality, utilization, adaptation, and/or pest resistance traits. USDA-ARS also generated 115 diploid crosses (2x or 4x-2x; 48,906 seeds) for use in germplasm improvement.  Progeny (85,282) from earlier crosses were field selected resulting in 3394 clones that will be further selected during 2018 under conditions with diverse abiotic and biotic stress in the eastern U.S. and beyond.   Advanced clones from our project were introduced to growers through field days, presentations, publications, web sites, and direct contact with stakeholders.  Thirteen advanced clones were entered into tissue culture programs leading to commercial seed production. Several advanced clones and newly released varieties are currently being evaluated in commercial scale trials on-farm for their potential across the US.  NY’s two most recent chipping releases are Waneta (NY138) and Lamoka (NY139). Based on certified seed acreage in 2017, Lamoka (2702 acres) has replaced Snowden (1818 acres) as the standard storage chipping variety across the U.S.  Waneta has also been widely adopted (1025 acres of seed in 2017).  We estimate the value of potato chip production from Lamoka and Waneta for 2017 and 2018 was ~1 billion dollars per year (~15% of US chip production).  Sixteen clones from the eastern states have been in the Potatoes USA fast-track chip program since 2011, and the programs supported under this grant have annually contributed up to 40% of clones in the Potatoes USA National Chip Processors Trials (NCPT).   For fresh market, NY released Upstate Abundance (NY150) and Algonquin (NY141) during 2017.  Upstate Abundance is a specialty white with very small, bright tubers. It has potato virus Y (PVY), late blight, and golden nematode resistance as well as moderate common scab tolerance. It is being commercialized by specialty fresh market growers.  Algonquin is being grown for fresh market and is a white skinned, white fleshed variety.  It has high yields and good tuber appearance as well as resistance to common scab and golden nematode.  USDA-ARS released Little Ruby (B2152-17) during 2015 and Red Dawn (BNC201-1) will be released in 2018.  NY released Strawberry Paw (NY136) during 2013.  These three varieties are attractive, red-skinned potato varieties for high-value fresh market use. They have been adopted on a small-scale by specialty market growers, thus far.  Other fresh market releases Red Maria (2010), a high-yielding red, Lehigh (2007), a widely-adapted yellow-fleshed variety, and Peter Wilcox (2007), a novel purple-skinned, yellow-fleshed variety continue to be adopted by fresh market growers.  AF4659-12, is a pinto-type, yellow-fleshed ‘roasting’ variety is also being commercialized by small-scale local foods markets.  It will be officially released as Pinto Gold during 2018.   Caribou Russet (AF3362-1) was released during 2015 for fry processing and russet fresh market.  It is being rapidly adopted due to high yields, scab and verticillium resistance, and excellent consumer quality. AF4124-7, AF4172-2, AF4296-3, AF5071-2, and AF5406-7 are advanced fry processing clones that are generating commercial interest.  Twenty additional French fry clones are currently being evaluated by North American potato processors.  Reveille Russet, Teton Russet, AF5312-1, and TX08352-5Ru were promising fresh market russets.   Each eastern breeding program submits its most promising advanced clones to the regional project’s seed nursery in ME.  During 2017, the project distributed seed potatoes for 12 regional potato variety trials conducted in seven states and two Canadian provinces.  Eleven standard varieties and 20 experimental clones were tested for yield, tuber quality, and pest resistance.  NE1731 Regional potato variety trials were conducted at three ME locations during 2017.  The regional trial sites (numbers of clones tested) were: Presque Isle (30), St Agatha (29), and Exeter (16).   NE1731 variety trials were also conducted in FL, NC, NY, VA, PA, OH, and Canada (NB, QC).  Each regional trial site reports results to their local stakeholders and submits their data to the project website coordinator located in NC.  The data are entered into a searchable database so that results are accessible to stakeholders and researchers anywhere in the world. Based on 2017 Maine results, AF4648-2, AF5040-8, AF5429-3, NY152, and NY157 were the most outstanding chipping prospects.  AF4138-8, AF4648-2, and AF5280-5 were promising round-white fresh market clones.  AF4659-12, AF4831-2, AF5245-1, and NY161 were promising reds and specialty clones.  Caribou Russet, Reveille Russet, Teton Russet, AF4124-7, AF4296-3, AF5312-1, and TX08352-5Ru were the top performing russeted clones.   Our project web site and interactive searchable database, which is updated regularly, (see: <a href="http://potatoes.ncsu.edu/NE.html">http://potatoes.ncsu.edu/NE.html</a>) continues to grow in importance and popularity.  Evidence of its importance is the fact that it has been used as a model for other regional and national projects (e.g.  the USDA-NIFA SCRI potato acrylamide mitigation project and the USPB national chip trials). The web site provides current contact information for project cooperators and recent research reports, as well as access to our regional variety database and a dynamic summary generator for all released varieties. The interactive database has become popular as a tool used by researchers and stakeholders, and it can be viewed at < http://potatoes.ncsu.edu/nesrch.php>.  The summary generator allows users to build a cultivar summary that contains the most up-to-date performance data in a concise one-page format <<a href="http://potatoes.ncsu.edu/nesummary.php">http://potatoes.ncsu.edu/nesummary.php</a>>.   New varieties and descriptions.   This project seeks, through activities coordinated across many Northeastern states, to develop potato varieties with improved agronomic, disease-resistance, and nutritional characteristics.  It is anticipated that improved potato cultivars will help maintain the viability of rural economies, reduce dependence on pesticides, and contribute substantially toward maintaining a secure, safe and nutritious food supply.   Advanced Experimental Potato Clones Showing Particular Promise in 2017 include:   <ul> <li>AF4124-7 (A8469-5 x SC9512-4), a medium maturing, russet with good fry quality, fair tuber appearance, early sizing, and high yields.  US#1 yields have averaged ~119% of standard russeted varieties (usually Russet Burbank) in Maine trials.  Specific gravity is moderate (average of 1.085 in ME trials) and fry color from storage has been good.  It is moderately resistant to scab and has good blackspot bruise resistance. </li> <li>AF4296-3 (A0508-4 x A99081-8), a widely adapted, late maturing, russet with good fry quality, fair tuber appearance, and high yields.  US#1 yields have averaged ~111% of standard russeted varieties (usually Russet Burbank) in Maine trials.  Specific gravity is moderate (average of 1.079 in ME trials) and fry color from storage has been good.  It has been an outstanding performer in the national fry processing trials (NFPT).  It is moderately susceptible to scab, but has moderate verticillium resistance and good bruise resistance.  </li> <li>AF4648-2 (NY132 x Liberator), a mid-season, round to oblong white with good yields, moderately-high gravity, bruise resistance, very good chip color, and good appearance.   It could go for chipping or fresh market.  It has good scab resistance and is resistant to golden nematode and PVY. </li> <li>AF4659-12 (A99331-2 x US147-96RY), a yellow-fleshed “pinto-type” specialty variety with a interesting red and yellow skin pattern.  It produces small, fingerling-type tubers that are excellent roasted, boiled, or fried.  It will be officially released as Pinto Gold during 2018.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>AF4831-2 (ND028946B-1 x ND8555-8) has bright red skin with a smooth, attractive skin finish, round to oblong tuber shape, white flesh, good cooking quality, medium to medium-late vine maturity. Yields are often good, but tuber size tends to be quite small).  It has moderate scab resistance along with verticillium wilt and blackspot bruise resistance.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>AF5040-8 (AF2376-5 x Lamoka), a mid-season, high yielding, high gravity chipper with pale yellow flesh and relatively small tubers.  It has good internal quality and chips from 50F storage, but it will most likely be useful as an alternative to Atlantic for out-of-field chipping.  It is susceptible to common scab.</li> <li>AF5280-5 (ND7791C-1 x ND860-2), an early, round to oblong white with good yields, large tubers, moderate-low gravity, good chip color, and good appearance.  It could go for early  fresh market.  It has good scab, bruise, hollow heart, pink rot, and golden nematode resistance. </li> <li>AF5312-1 (A86106-6 x CO82142-4), a medium maturing, fresh market russet with good appearance, flavor, and high yields.  US#1 yields have averaged ~143% of standard russeted varieties (Russet Burbank and Russet Norkotah) in Maine trials.  Specific gravity is moderate (average of 1.078 in ME trials) It is resistant to scab and has good blackspot, shatter, and fusarium. </li> <li>AF5429-3 (Dakota Pearl x NY140), a medium-late maturing, round to oblong white with good yields, large tubers, moderately-high gravity, very good chip color, and good appearance.   It has resistance to verticillium wilt and blackspot bruise, but it susceptible to common scab.</li> <li>B2904-2 is a high yielding, high specific gravity clone that may be useful for chipping out-of-the field as an alternative to Atlantic.  Specific gravity had been similar to Atlantic, while marketable yields have averaged 121% of Atlantic.  Like Atlantic, it is susceptible to hollow heart.</li> <li>BNC182-5 a mid-season, moderate to high specific gravity, chip stock clone.  It has round to oblong tubers with netted skin. Yields have been high in many NE1731 trials.  It chips well from the field in the SE states, but is not a good storage chipper.  It has low incidence of internal and external defects. It has good scab resistance and is resistant to potato virus Y (PVY).</li> <li>BNC201-1 is a promising specialty clone (red skin, yellow flesh). It will be released as Red Dawn in 2018.</li> <li>NC470-3 (Marcy X NC182-5), a round to oblong PVY-resistant (Ryadg) chipper that starts to bulk early, is promising.  Nationally trialed through the NCPT in 2016 and 2017 specific gravity was within 2 points of Atlantic overall, visual out of the field chip color was also similar to Atlantic (two tenths better on average) and percent yield of number one size tubers was 2% better than Atlantic. Yield trials in North Carolina to date have had similar results, except that marketable yields have been 136% Atlantic.</li> <li>NC507-15 (NCH52-1 X BNC240-2), a promising specialty clone (red skin, red flesh). With oblong to long shapes this clone is a fingerling type with 78% of yield being below 2 ½” and 38% below 1 7/8”.</li> <li>NC509-16 (NCH52-1 X BNC244-5), a promising specialty clone (purple skin, dark purple flesh).  Shapes are oblong, with very smooth tight skin, 63% of total yield is below 2 ½”, 44% between 1 7/8 and 2 ½”.</li> <li>NCB3171-1 (NY121 X Ivory Crisp), an early maturing, round, PVY-resistant (Ryadg) chip type. Trialed in the NCPT in 2016 and 2017 gravity averaged within 3 points of Atlantic across all trials, size profile overall is smaller than Atlantic but total yield was 104% of Atlantic. In North Carolina yield trials have shown this clone to be similar in gravity and 119% of Atlantic for marketable yield.</li> <li>NY152 (B38-14 x Marcy), a late-season, moderate to high specific gravity, chip stock clone with excellent chip color from storage.  It has round to oblong tubers with netted skin.  Yields have been very high in many trials.  It has good scab resistance and may be resistant to potato virus Y.    Hollow heart susceptibility is sometimes a concern.</li> <li>NY157 (White Pearl x NY115), a mid-season, moderate to high specific gravity, chip stock clone.  It has round to oblong tubers with netted skin. Yields have been high in many ME, NY, and PA trials.  Chip color from storage is very good.  It has low incidence of internal and external defects. It has moderate scab resistance and is resistant to golden nematode (Ro1).</li> <li>NY161 (Daisy Gold x C24-1), a mid-late season, yellow-fleshed tablestock variety with purple splashes on the skin.  Tubers are usually very attractive; however high growth crack incidence has been observed in some trials.  Yields have been high in many trials.  Chip color from storage is very good. It has moderate scab resistance.  </li> <li>NY162 (E106-2 x E48-2), a late-season, moderate to high specific gravity, chip stock clone.  It has round to oblong tubers with netted skin. Yields have been high in many NY trials.  Chip color from storage is very good.  It has low incidence of external defects and relatively low hollow heart incidence (4% across 11 trials). It has moderate scab resistance and is resistant to golden nematode (Ro1). </li> </ul>     Project milestones for 2017, and progress related to each of these, follow:   Conduct multidisciplinary conventional and molecular marker-assisted breeding, germplasm enhancement, and early-generation selection research to improve potato productivity and quality for important Eastern U.S. markets.   Breeding:  During 2017, our programs generated 671 new tetraploid families (317,541 seeds) from crosses using parents with desirable quality, utilization, adaptation, and/or pest resistance traits. USDA-ARS also generated 115 diploid families (2 x or 4x-2x; 48,906 seeds) for use in germplasm improvement.  Progeny (85,282) from earlier crosses were selected resulting in 3,394 clones that will be further selected under conditions with diverse abiotic and biotic stress in the eastern U.S. and beyond. Crosses conducted by the University of Maine continue to emphasize russets (50%) for processing and fresh; however, a significant component of the program is represented by round whites and chipping types (40%) and specialty types (10%).  Cornell University, NC State University, and USDA-ARS Beltsville place strong emphasis on breeding for chip quality and utilization, but also include fresh market, colored-skin, and specialty types in their breeding goals.  Multi-site evaluation of early-generation clones is being used to speed the breeding and selection process through identification of broadly- and specifically-adapted clones.  We especially emphasize selection for heat tolerance by early generation selection of breeding materials from all programs at the NC and FL trial sites.    USDA-ARS conducted 4x-2x crosses to transfer the late blight resistance present in a 2x phu-stn population into 4x chipping germplasm.  Twelve 4x parents were crossed with 21 high specific gravity, late blight resistant 2x phu-stn parents.  Thirteen families resulted and a total of 220 seeds were generated.  The 4x-2x crosses in the USDA-ARS program also partially focus on yellow-fleshed tetraploid S. tuberosum (tub) and orange-fleshed diploid S. phureja-S. stenotomum (phu-stn) to enhance the carotenoid content in tuberosum. The phu-stn combinations are also being used to enhance tuber specific gravity.  Diploid yellow- and orange-flesh clones from the Papa criolla project were evaluated in FL, NM, PA, and ME in 2017 at 4, 6, and 8 inch spacing.  Mini-tubers from the diploid high specific gravity mapping population were divided between ARS and Oregon State University and were planted for seed increase at each location.  Specific gravity in the ARS population grown in ME ranged from 1.044 to 1.115.  More detailed evaluation of this population’s tuber specific gravity will be conducted in 2018 and 2019.   Research on the genetics of internal heat necrosis (IHN) and the development of clones and populations with improved resistance to this tuber defect continued.  The test site in NC provides good environmental conditions that all four breeding programs utilize in selecting for IHN resistance. In 2016, NC screened a total of 699 early generation clones. Of these 240 were from NC, 251 from ME, 77 from the USDA-ARS Beltsville, and 131 clones were from the NCPT (with clones from CO, ME, MI, NC, NY, OR, TX, USDA-MD and WI).  The NC mapping population B2721 was genotyped with the Infinium® 8303 SNP array developed by the USDA-NIFA SolCAP project and quantitative trait loci (QTL) were detected for IHN on chromosomes 1, 5, 9, and 12. Genetic effect models explained roughly 28 and 25% of the variation for IHN incidence and severity, respectively and we have tentatively identified several candidate markers for IHN susceptibility. The B2721 population has also been phenotyped for chip color, specific gravity, and scab reaction. QTL analyses of these traits is underway. Because sufficient funding is not available to carry the QTL studies forward within this USDA-NIFA program, we are looking for additional support to advance this research.   VA studies are in progress to associate physiological processes responsive to environmental stresses with IHN development. Specifically, the activity of catalase and peroxidase, key factors of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging system, appear to be associated with temperature increases above 30°C and varies with cultivar. However, the association of membrane integrity (leakage) with IHN was inconclusive at this time. Studies to determine the tuber phenolic content in response to temperature are in progress.   VA continues conducting field evaluations of 4x-2x hybrids, preliminary selections and advance breeding lines from the eastern breeding programs. During 2017, 267 4x-2x hybrids from the VA potato genetics program were field screened for performance in VA.  Yield, quality, and responses to stressing temperatures were evaluated since they are critical factors in selecting suitable varieties for production in VA.   Selection:  USDA-ARS and ME send seed from all clones in the second or third field generation (12-hill or 60-hill stage) to cooperators in FL and NC for early generation evaluation and to select materials with adaptation to the short-season Southeastern U.S. environmental.  All of our programs send seed from more advanced field generations (third and higher) to regional cooperators (FL, NC, VA, PA, OH, NY, ME) for continued phenotyping, selection, and advancement.  Advanced clones from our project were introduced to growers through field days, presentations, publications, web sites, and direct contact with stakeholders.  Thirteen advanced clones were entered into tissue culture programs leading to commercial seed production.     Use novel and improved potato germplasm to reduce the impact of economically important potato pests and abiotic stress in the Eastern US.   The project places special emphasis on breeding and selecting clones with resistance to late blight, early blight, scab, golden nematode races Ro1 and Ro2, and potato virus Y (PVY).  Wild or cultivated diploid germplasm that we are using to introduce novel traits for pest resistance or improved quality includes:  S. phureja and S. stenotomum for resistance to early and late blight (with PA State), soft rot with U ME) (USDA-ARS) and high specific gravity (with OrSU); S. bulbocastanum for late blight and insect resistant (ME), S. chacoense for insect resistance (USDA-ARS, NC); S. hougasii for late blight resistance (USDA-ARS, ME); S. candolleanum, S. kurtzianum, S. verrucosum, and S. sogarandium for heat tolerance (USDA-ARS); and S. berthaultii for insect resistance (NY, NC).  In addition, 4x-2x  crosses were made between tbr and cycle four late blight resistant phu-stn clones.   Marker-assisted selection is being used to speed the development of PVY and golden nematode resistant varieties. All NY round whites, and most of the NY colored crosses, segregate for resistance to golden nematode Ro1 or Ro2, as do many crosses from the ME, NC and USDA programs. Upstate Abundance (formerly NY150), released by Cornell in 2017, has resistance to late blight, common scab, potato virus Y, and golden nematode. AF4648-2, a promising white-skinned variety that is being commercially evaluated has resistance to scab, late blight, PVY, pink rot, and golden nematode.  Disease resistant varieties generated by this project have the potential to greatly reduce growers’ losses to devastating diseases such as late blight and can also reduce production costs. Golden nematode, a serious pest found in NY and in other countries, cannot be effectively managed without resistant varieties.   Golden nematode: Breeding efforts in NY have emphasized resistance to golden nematode (Globodera rostochiensis) Ro1; however, resistance to race Ro2 is also a priority.  The NY program developed Ro2 resistance by selecting for adaptation within a collection of South American tetraploids, and work has begun to procure additional sources of resistance from Europe to broaden the genetic base of resistance and provide resistance to G. pallida.  All NY round whites, and most of the NY colored crosses, segregate for resistance to golden nematode Ro1 or Ro2, as do many crosses from the ME, NC, and USDA programs.  The USDA-ARS and ME programs also use parental materials with nematode resistance.  Progeny from crosses using resistant parents are being evaluated for resistance to both races of the golden nematode (NY and USDA-ARS).  NY’s H1 PCR-based marker is also being also used to screen clones for Ro1 resistance (NY, NC, ME).  NY is also testing for resistance to G. pallida using in vitro techniques. Recent Cornell Ro1 resistant releases have achieved commercial success, including Andover, Pike, Reba, Marcy, Lehigh, Waneta and Lamoka.  All of these varieties also have moderate to good resistance to common scab.  All clones that have survived three or more years of selection in NY are evaluated for resistance to golden nematode race Ro1 as well as common scab each year. USDA-ARS in NY provides golden nematode screening for the eastern programs. Six of eight  ME clones (75%) showed golden nematode (Ro1) resistance during 2017. Twenty-nine of 168 ME clones (17.1%) tested positive for the H1 marker indicating that these clones are resistant. Eighty-eight of 359 (cycle 2 and higher of selection) clones (24.5%) tested positive for the H1 marker in North Carolina.   Late and early blight:  PA serves as the project’s key screening site for resistance to several important potato diseases.  Early selection for late blight resistance with the ME and USDA-ARS Beltsville breeding programs occurs there.  The most promising late blight resistant selections from ME, NY, and USDA-ARS undergo field evaluation for resistance in PA within the NE-1731 regional project. Two of 18 advanced eastern clones were moderately resistant to late blight in 2017 PA trials.  The moderately resistant clones were AF4615-5 and  AF4648-2.  Three of 18 advanced eastern clones were moderately resistant to early blight in 2017 PA trials.  The moderately resistant clones were AF4615-5, AF4648-2, and AF5225-1.  Fifty-eight advanced breeding clones in the ME program showed high levels of late blight resistance in 2017 PA trials.  Seventy of ME’s 3rd year clones (70 of 231, 30.3%) showed high levels of late blight resistance in 2017 PA trials.    During 2017, a tetraploid mapping population of 260 clones from USDA-ARS Beltsville, and five breeding lines from NC were evaluated for late blight resistance in PA.  Late blight resistant clones were selected as a result of this research. Resistance genes/QTLs are in the process of being mapped on the tetraploid mapping population. Also, approximately 220 cultivars were evaluated for early blight and late blight resistance and will be used in genome wide association studies to identify possibly new genes associated with early blight and/or late blight resistance.  A diploid S. phureja-S. stenotomum population, resulting from a cross of a highly resistant late blight clone x a susceptible clone, was planted in the field in 2017 at USDA-ARS, with seed increases to take place in 2018, prior to evaluating for late blight resistance in PA  and will be used to map genes involved in late blight resistance in this population using the SolCap-derived SNP chip (USDA-ARS, PA). USDA-ARS maintains a diploid Solanum phureja-S. stenotumum population (phu-stn) that has undergone multiple selection cycles for resistance to late blight. The levels of resistance in the diploid phu-stn population increased dramatically over multiple selections cycles. To avoid narrowing the genetic base, the most resistant clone from each maternal half-sib family was planted in a seed nursery, and open-pollinated seed was collected to advance the population to the next selection cycle. Clones with high levels of resistance were screened for 2n pollen production, and those that produced at least 5% 2n pollen continue to be  utilized in 4x-2x crosses. Hybrids between tuberosum and late blight resistant diploids have now proceeded through four cycles of resistance selection.    Resistant clones from this breeding effort have been utilized in 4x-2x crosses to tuberosum to transfer this resistance into the tetraploid population and these materials will continue to be developed.  The cycle four late blight resistant phu-stn population was also evaluated for soft rot resistance (USDA-ARS, ME) in 2017 and this study will be repeated in 2018.   This project will provide potato breeders with a valuable new source of resistance to both early blight and late blight diseases and possibly soft rot.  The University of Maine and several other North American Potato Breeding programs are already using this new late blight resistant material in their crossing programs.  USDA-ARS is preparing to release germplasm from this population to the national and international potato breeding community in 2018.   Scab: ME, NY, PA, and USDA-ARS screen and select for resistance to scab in inoculated and/or naturally-infected field experiments.  Lines are tested over multiple years because of environmental effects on disease incidence and severity.  Scab resistant parents are used extensively in all four breeding programs.  Clones showing resistance are being used as parents to improve the level of resistance in future germplasm.  Fifteen experimental NE-1731 clones were compared with standard varieties in two University of Maine scab screening trials during 2017.  Six (Teton Russet, AF4296-3, AF4552-5, AF5280-5, NY157, and NY161) were moderately resistant or resistant in these trials.  Including 4th-year, advanced, and NE-1231 clones, 58 of 142 University of Maine selections (40.8%) had scab resistance in our 2017 screening trial. Thirteen experimental NE-1731 clones were compared with standard varieties in a screening trial conducted by AAFC, Fredericton, NB, Canada during 2017.  Seven (AF4552-5, AF4648-2, AF4831-2, AF5245-1, AF5280-5, NY158, and NY161) were moderately resistant or resistant in these trials. During 2017, 209 breeding clones of early generation from USDA-ARS and five breeding lines from NC were screened for scab resistance in PA and resistant clones were selected.   The NE1731 cultivars and advanced breeding lines were also evaluated for powdery scab resistance on a farmer’s farm in Potter County, PA during 2017. Two out of 18 were characterized resistant to moderately powdery scab resistant.  These were Caribou Russet and ND8068-5Russ.    Potato Virus Y (PVY) As a result of the NY neotuberosum project, extreme resistance to PVX and PVY is present in many NY breeding lines.  The variety Eva, for example, is immune to both PVX and PVY.   All four breeding programs continue to include virus-resistant clones as parents. Marker-assisted selection for potato virus Y resistance (Whitworth et al. 2009; Ryadg, RYSC3, Kasai et al, 2000; Rysto, YES3, Song and Schwarzfischer 2008) are being used to supplement traditional screening methods and provide earlier detection of resistant clones.  ME has also added resistance from S. chacoense to its germplasm and now has the ability to test for DNA-based markers for resistance conferred by Rychc. Upstate Abundance (formerly NY150), released by Cornell in 2017, has resistance to potato virus Y and tests positive for the RYSC3 marker indicating resistance conferred by Ryadg.  AF4648-2, a promising white-skinned variety that is being commercially evaluated for fresh and chipping markets, also has resistance to potato virus Y and tests positive for the RYSC3 marker indicating resistance conferred by Ryadg.  Twenty-two of 168 ME clones (13.1%) tested positive for the RYSC3 marker indicating resistance conferred by Ryadg.  Thirteen of 168 ME clones (7.7%) tested positive for the YES3 marker indicating resistance conferred by Rysto.  Forty-nine of 359 NC clones (cycle 2 and higher of selection) tested positive for the RYSC3 marker, Ryadg (13.6%), 4 tested positive for the YES3 marker, Rysto (1.1%) and 4 tested positive for (an unpublished marker courtesy of Shelley Jansky and Amy Charkowski) for Rychc (1.1%).   Potato Wart: Thirteen experimental NE-1731 clones were compared with standard varieties in a screening trial conducted in Newfoundland by AAFC, Fredericton, NB, Canada during 2017.  Four (AF4552-5, AF5280-5, ND8068-5, and NY158) were resistant in this trial.  AF4615-5, AF4648-2, AF4831-2, AF5040-8, AF5225-1, AF5245-1, AF5429-3, BNC364-1, and NY161 were susceptible. Colorado Potato Beetle: NC continued to select and screen specific families with potential Colorado potato beetle CPB resistance.  For the first cycle of selection in 2016, they changed from screening duplicated 2-hill plots for CPB resistance and adaptability separately, to a single 4-hill plot and selected on yield and overall appearance.  This is because NC is now planting all trials at the research station with a 2-row carousel planter and 2-hill plots are difficult to keep organized, whereas 3- and 4-hill plots are manageable. NC planted 952 4-hill plots for selection purposes.  They selected 216 clones that were advanced for CPB screening as two replicated 3-hill plots (2by3 trial), and for parallel horticultural adaptation selection as non-replicated 6-hill plots in 2018.  In the 2017 2by3 trial, 330 clones were simultaneously evaluated for CPB resistance and adaptation in non-replicated 6-hill plots.  After making selections in both of these trials, NC advanced 44 clones to the 2018 screening trial of three replications with 5-hills each (3by5 trial) and parallel horticultural adaptation selection in non-replicated 20-hill plots.  In the 2017 3by5 trial, NC simultaneously evaluated 7 clones for CPB resistance and for adaptation in non-replicated 20-hill plots.  NC selected 3 clones for advancement to the 2018 four replications by 10-hills (4by10) screening plots and non-replicated 60-hill trial.  In the 2017 4by10 we had a total of 4 clones and one of those were selected for evaluation in 2018. The 4by10 trial is our most advanced screening trial and the most advanced clones will remain in this trial until testing is complete, also some of the clones with promise will be placed in yield trials if they have the appropriate agronomic characteristics.  New varieties with high levels of natural CPB resistance have potential to facilitate production of potatoes with fewer pesticides contributing to the sustainable crop production. Nitrogen-use Efficiency During 2017, USDA-ARS focused on crosses between diploid phu-stn and S. chacoense (chc).  The goal of these crosses was to incorporate the NUpE of chc into long-day adapted phu-stn.  Eight phu-stn clones from the late blight resistance population were crossed with 34 chc clones with varying levels of NUpE.  Ninety-one families resulted with a total of 46,700 seed.    Heat tolerance: During 2017, USDA-ARS crossed its long-day adapted diploid phu-stn population with clones from seven wild species accession that have been identified as heat tolerant. The most successful crosses in this block were with wild species S. candolleanum (20 families produced), S. brevicaule (4 families), S. sogarandium (3 families), and S. verrucosum (2 families).    Selection:  Each of the breeding programs maintain plots for resistance screening (e.g. NC, CPB resistance; ME, scab, verticillium, late blight, pink rot, fusarium, PVY and PLRV; NY late blight, scab, insect resistance, PVY; USDA-ARS late blight, scab; and/or or utilize regional collaborators (USDA-ARS NY for golden nematode resistance; Penn State for late blight, early blight, and powdery scab; ME for scab and virus resistance). Marker-assisted selection is being used to speed selection for PVY and golden nematode resistance.   Evaluate yield, quality, and pest and abiotic stress resistances of preliminary and advanced potato breeding lines in experimental- and commercial-scale trials at multiple Eastern locations to aid industry adoption of new varieties.   Each eastern breeding program submits its most promising advanced clones to the regional project’s seed nursery in ME.  During 2017, the project distributed seed potatoes for 12 regional potato variety trials conducted in eight states and two Canadian provinces.  Eleven standard varieties and 20 experimental clones were tested for yield, tuber quality, and pest resistance.  NE1731 Regional potato variety trials were conducted at three ME locations during 2017.  The regional trial sites (numbers of clones tested) were: Presque Isle (30), St Agatha (29), and Exeter (16).   NE1731 variety trials were also conducted in FL, MD, NC, NY, VA, PA, OH, and Canada (NB, QC).  Each regional trial site reports results to their local stakeholders and submits their data to the project website coordinator located in NC.  The data are entered into a searchable database so that results are accessible to stakeholders and researchers anywhere in the world. Based on 2017 Maine results, AF4648-2, AF5040-8, AF5429-3, NY152, and NY157 were the most outstanding chipping prospects.  AF4138-8, AF4648-2, and AF5280-5 were promising round-white fresh market clones.  AF4659-12, AF4831-2, AF5245-1, and NY161 were promising reds or specialty clones.  Caribou Russet, Reveille Russet, Teton Russet, AF4124-7, AF4296-3, AF5312-1, and TX08352-5Ru were the top performing russeted clones.   PA provides a centralized site for screening late blight, early blight, and powdery scab resistance.  USDA-ARS in NY provides golden nematode screening for the eastern programs.  ME screens all NE1731 entries for scab, potato virus Y, and potato leafroll virus resistance.  Fifty-eight advanced breeding clones in the ME program showed high levels of late blight resistance in PA trials during 2017.  Two of 18 advanced eastern clones were moderately resistant to late blight in 2017 PA trials.  Three of 18 advanced eastern clones were moderately resistant to early blight in 2017 PA trials.  Six of 15 advanced eastern clones were moderately resistant or resistant to common scab in 2017 ME trials.  Marker-assisted selection is being used to speed the development of PVY and golden nematode resistant varieties. All NY round whites, and most of the NY colored crosses, segregate for resistance to golden nematode Ro1 or Ro2, as do many crosses from the ME, NC and USDA programs.   Provide timely and relevant information to stakeholders through various means including the maintenance of a project website and a web-based potato variety performance database for use by researchers, extension, potato growers, and allied industry members.   Results from this project have been made available through field days, trade show booths, printed materials, and presentations (scientific meetings and stakeholder meetings).  Results from the project are also made available through our project web site at <a href="http://potatoes.ncsu.edu/NE.html">http://potatoes.ncsu.edu/NE.html</a>.  Our project web site and interactive searchable database, which is updated regularly, (see: <a href="http://potatoes.ncsu.edu/NE.html">http://potatoes.ncsu.edu/NE.html</a>) continues to grow in importance and popularity.  Evidence of its importance is the fact that it has been used as a model for other regional and national projects (e.g.  the USDA-NIFA SCRI potato acrylamide mitigation project and the USPB national chip trials). The web site provides current contact information for project cooperators and recent research reports, as well as access to our regional variety database and a dynamic summary generator for all released varieties. The interactive database has become popular as a tool used by researchers and stakeholders, and it can be viewed at < http://potatoes.ncsu.edu/nesrch.php>.  The summary generator allows users to build a cultivar summary that contains the most up-to-date performance data in a concise one-page format <<a href="http://potatoes.ncsu.edu/nesummary.php">http://potatoes.ncsu.edu/nesummary.php</a>>.   Short-term Outcomes:   <ol> <li>Eastern potato growers need new potato varieties which are highly productive and less susceptible to stress, diseases, and insects than current varieties. This regional potato breeding and trial network produces new potato varieties and evaluates their potential to serve fresh, processing, and specialty potato markets in the East.  These new varieties will improve grower profitability by increasing yields, enhancing market quality, and/or decreasing costs associated with pests.   Farm gate receipts for eastern potato production exceed 460 million dollars annually, therefore the impact of a successful new potato cultivar can mean many millions of dollars to the industry over time. Potatoes can cost more than $2500 per acre to produce and devastating diseases such as pink rot and/or late blight can totally destroy the crop.  Resistant varieties greatly decrease the risk of losses and, in the case of late blight resistance, can reduce production costs by reducing the number of chemical sprays applied to protect the crop from the pest.  Several areas in NY could not produce potatoes without the golden nematode resistant varieties developed as part of this and other research projects. </li> </ol>   <ol start="2"> <li>Over the years, the eastern regional project has resulted in the release of many commercially important potato varieties (e.g. Atlantic, Andover, Harley Blackwell, Kanona, Keuka Gold, MaineStay, Marcy, Monticello, Pike, and Sunrise). Upstate Abundance, a white-skinned variety form Cornell with small attractive tubers for the specialty trade, Peter Wilcox, a purple-skinned yellow-fleshed specialty variety from the USDA-ARS program, Little Ruby, a red-skinned, yellow-fleshed variety from USDA-ARS, Algonquin, a round-white with large attractive tubers, and Lehigh, a yellow-fleshed dual-purpose variety from NY, are five of the more recent fresh market releases from the eastern programs.  Lamoka (NY139), Waneta (NY138), and Red Maria (NY129) are three 2010-2011 Cornell releases that have attracted considerable commercial interest.  Caribou Russet (AF3362-1) was released in 2015 by ME and is increasingly being adopted for French fry production and for the russet fresh market trade. Potato seed multiplication and commercial adoption are slow processes; therefore, so it will take years to know the full impacts of these varieties on eastern potato production.  For chipping markets, NY’s two most recent chipping releases are Waneta (NY138) and Lamoka (NY139). Based on certified seed acreage in 2016 and 2017, Lamoka (2702 acres in 2017) has replaced Snowden (1817 acres) as the standard storage chipping variety across the U.S.  Waneta has also been widely adopted (1025 acres of seed in 2017).  We estimate that the annual value of potato chip production from Lamoka and Waneta for 2017 and 2018 will be approximately one billion dollars (~15% of US chip production).  Sixteen clones from the eastern states have been in the Potatoes USA fast-track chip program since 2011, and the programs supported under this grant have annually contributed up to 40% of clones in the Potatoes USA National Chip Processors Trials (NCPT).</li> </ol>   <ol start="3"> <li>Recent Eastern releases were grown on 2,876 ME and NY seed acres during 2017 with a seed value of ca. $8.6M. The resulting seed crop has the potential to plant 28,767 acres in 2018 with a ware value estimated at $86.3M.  Nationally, varieties produced by our long-term project were grown on 5,808 seed acres during 2017 with an approximate seed value of $17.4M.  The resulting seed crop has the potential to plant 58,088 acres in 2018 with a ware value estimated at $174.3M.  Several varieties developed though our collective efforts are currently in the top 50 U.S. varieties including (acres, rank): Lamoka (2702, 10), Waneta (1025, 19), Lehigh (364, 41), Caribou Russet (347, 42), and Pike (271, 45).  Several additional varieties developed by this program are in the top 100 of US potato varieties: Keuka Gold (161 acres), (Reba (128 acres), NY115 (128 acres), Eva (125 acres), and Andover (94 acres).  Lamoka, a Cornell release developed via a predecessor project to NE1731, replaced Snowden as the top storage chipping variety in the US during 2016 and held that position again in 2017.  Atlantic, released in 1971 by USDA-ARS Beltsville and selected by a predecessor of this project, remains the top publically-released, out-of-field chip potato variety in the US (2761 acres, ranks 9th in US). </li> </ol>   <ol start="4"> <li>The project places special emphasis on breeding and selecting clones with resistance to late blight, early blight, scab, golden nematode races Ro1 and Ro2, and potato virus Y (PVY). Fifty-eight advanced breeding clones in the ME program showed high levels of late blight resistance during 2017. Three of 18 advanced eastern clones were moderately resistant to late blight in 2017 PA trials.  Three of 18 advanced eastern clones were moderately resistant to early blight in 2017 PA trials.  Six of 15 advanced eastern clones were moderately resistant or resistant to common scab in 2017 ME trials.  Marker-assisted selection is being used to speed the development of PVY and golden nematode resistant varieties. All NY round whites, and most of the NY colored crosses, segregate for resistance to golden nematode Ro1 or Ro2, as do many crosses from the ME, NC and USDA programs. Upstate Abundance (formerly NY150), released by Cornell in 2017, has resistance to late blight, common scab, potato virus Y, and golden nematode.  AF4648-2, a promising white-skinned variety that is being commercially evaluated has resistance to scab, late blight, PVY, pink rot, and golden nematode.  Disease resistant varieties generated by this project have the potential to greatly reduce growers’ losses to devastating diseases such as late blight and can also reduce production costs. Golden nematode, a serious pest found in NY and in other countries, cannot be effectively managed without resistant varieties.</li> </ol>   <ol start="5"> <li>Our project web site and searchable database continues to grow in size and utility (<a href="http://potatoes.ncsu.edu/NE.html">http://potatoes.ncsu.edu/NE.html</a>). The web site provides current contact information for project cooperators and recent research reports, as well as access to our regional variety database and a dynamic summary generator for all released varieties. The interactive database can be viewed at <http://potatoes.ncsu.edu/nesrch.php>.</li> </ol>   Outputs:   <ol> <li> Cultivars released this year: </li> </ol>   Two potato varieties were officially released in 2017.  In addition, commercialization of our recent releases continued as is summarized above.  Research trials and commercial evaluation of many advanced clones from our programs continued throughout 2017.    Algonquin (tested as NY141) was released by Cornell University during 2017.  Algonquin is being grown for fresh market and is a white skinned, white fleshed variety.  It has high yields and good tuber appearance as well as resistance to common scab and golden nematode.    Upstate Abundance (tested as NY150) was released by Cornell University during 2017. Upstate Abundance is a specialty white with very small, bright tubers. It has potato virus Y (PVY), late blight, and golden nematode resistance as well as moderate common scab tolerance. It is being commercialized by specialty fresh market growers.

Publications

Publications (peer-reviewed journals):   Christensen, C.T., L. Zotarelli, K.G. Haynes, and J. Colee.  2017.  Rooting characteristics of Solanum chacoense and Solanum tuberosum in Vitro.  Amer. J. Potato Res.  94: 588-598.    Da Silva, W.L., J. Ingram, C.A. Hackett, J.J. Coombs, D. Douches, G.J. Bryan, W. De Jong, and S. Gray.  2017 Mapping Loci that Control Tuber and Foliar Symptoms caused by PVY in Autotetraploid Potato (Solanum tuberosum L). G3 7, 3587-3595.  https://doi.org/10.1534/g3.117.300264   De Jong, W.S., D.E. Halseth, R.L. Plaisted, X. Wang, K.L. Perry, K.M. Paddock, M. Falise, B.J. Christ, and G.A. Porter.  2017. Lamoka, a variety with excellent chip color out of cold storage and resistance to the golden cyst nematode.   American Journal of Potato Research 94: 148-152.   Endelman, J.B., C.A. Schmitz Carley, D.S. Douches, J.J. Coombs, B. Bizimungu, W.S. De Jong, K.G. Haynes, D.G. Holm, J.C. Miller, R.G. Novy, J.P. Palta, D.L. Parish, G.A. Porter, V.R. Sathuvalli, A.L. Thompson, and G. C. Yencho.  2017. Pedigree reconstruction with genome-wide markers in potato. American Journal of Potato Research DOI 10.1007/s12230-016-9556-y.   Wang, Y., L.B. Snodgrass, P.C. Bethke, A.J. Bussan, D.G. Holm, R.G. Novy, M.J. Pavek, G.A. Porter, C.J. Rosen, V.R. Sathuvalli, A.L. Thompson, M.T. Thornton and J.B. Endelman.  2017.  Reliability of measurement and genotype x environment interaction for potato specific gravity.  Crop Sci  DOI: 10.2135cropsci2016.12.0976.   Qu X.S., Peck M.W., Moore C.E., Christ B.J.  2017.  Evaluation of foliar fungicides for control of potato late blight in Pennsylvania, 2016.  Plant Disease Management Reports 11: V008.   Qu X.S., Peck M.W., Moore C.E., Christ B.J.  2017.  Field evaluation of potato cultivars and breeding lines for resistance to powdery scab in Pennsylvania, 2016.  Plant Disease Management Reports 11: V035.   Qu X.S., Peck M.W., Moore C.E., Christ B.J..  2017.  Field evaluation of potato cultivars and breeding lines for resistance to late blight in Pennsylvania, 2016.  Plant Disease Management Reports 11: V036.   Qu X.S., Peck M.W., Moore C.E., Christ B.J.  2017.  Field evaluation of potato cultivars and breeding lines for resistance to early blight in Pennsylvania, 2016.  Plant Disease Management Reports 11: V037.   Simko, I. and K.G. Haynes.  2017.  Maturity-adjusted resistance of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars to Verticillium wilt caused by Verticillium dahliae.  Amer. J. Potato Res.  94:173-177.   Published Abstracts:   Porter, G.A., P. Ocaya, and T. Mills.  2017.  Caribou Russet: A new russet potato variety for fresh market and fry processing.   American Journal of Potato Research 94:239 (abst).   Porter, G.A. and P. Ocaya.  2017.  Processing quality of advanced fry processing varieties versus Russet Burbank in SCRI agronomic trials, Maine 2013-2015.  American Journal of Potato Research 94:240 (abst).     Technical Articles or Reports, not refereed   Arancibia, R. 2017. Virginia Potato Variety Trial Report - 2017.    Arancibia, R.A. 2017. Potato. In Wyenandt (Coordinator), Elsa Sanchez (Hort. Ed.), 2016-2017 Mid-Atlantic Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations (2017 revision). VCE publication 456-420 (AREC-203P) <a href="http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/456/456-420/456-420.html">http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/456/456-420/456-420.html</a>   De Jong, W.S., R. Plaisted, D.E. Halseth, and S. Menasha. 2017. New York Potato Variety Trial and Breeding Report - 2017, 40 pp.   Kleinhenz, M.D., S.D. Walker, B. Williams, and Walter.  2017. Ohio Potato Germplasm Evaluation Report - 2017, 88 pp. Ohio State University Horticulture and Crop Series Series N. 856.  Also available at https://potatoes.ncsu.edu/NEReports.html   Porter, G.A., P. Ocaya, B. MacFarline, and B. Plummer.  2017.  Potato variety trial results in Maine, 2017 growing season.   SFA Research Report (posted on www and distributed to industry), 2017-01, 40 pp. Also available at https://potatoes.ncsu.edu/NEReports.html   Porter, G.A., P. Ocaya, and T. Mills.  2017.   Maine potato breeding program annual report, 2017 growing season.   SFA Research Report (posted on www and distributed to industry), 20 pp.    Qu, X. and B.J. Christ.  2017. Pennsylvania Potato Research Report- 2017, 55 pp (posted on www and distributed to industry). Also available at https://potatoes.ncsu.edu/NEReports.html   Yencho, G.C. and M.E. Clough. 2017. NC Potato Variety Trial and Breeding Report - 2017, 50 pp. Also available at https://potatoes.ncsu.edu   Zotarelli, L. 2017. Florida Potato Variety Trial Report - 2017, 122 pp. Also available at http://hos.ufl.edu/extension/variety-trials/variety-trial-crops/potatoes

Impact Statements

New potato varieties helped reduced pest problems. 4. The project places special emphasis on breeding and selecting clones with resistance to late blight, early blight, scab, golden nematode races Ro1 and Ro2, and potato virus Y (PVY). Fifty-eight advanced breeding clones in the ME program showed high levels of late blight resistance during 2017. Three of 18 advanced eastern clones were moderately resistant to late blight in 2017 PA trials. Three of 18 advanced eastern clones were moderately resistant to early blight in 2017 PA trials. Six of 15 advanced eastern clones were moderately resistant or resistant to common scab in 2017 ME trials. Marker-assisted selection is being used to speed the development of PVY and golden nematode resistant varieties. All NY round whites, and most of the NY colored crosses, segregate for resistance to golden nematode Ro1 or Ro2, as do many crosses from the ME, NC and USDA programs. Upstate Abundance (formerly NY150), released by Cornell in 2017, has resistance to late blight, common scab, potato virus Y, and golden nematode. AF4648-2, a promising white-skinned variety that is being commercially evaluated has resistance to scab, late blight, PVY, pink rot, and golden nematode. Disease resistant varieties generated by this project have the potential to greatly reduce growers’ losses to devastating diseases such as late blight and can also reduce production costs. Golden nematode, a serious pest found in NY and in other countries, cannot be effectively managed without resistant varieties.

Date of Annual Report: 09/12/2019

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 01/03/2019 - 01/04/2019
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2017 - 09/30/2018

Participants

Craig Yencho (NC State), Mark Clough (NC State), Adam Canal (NC State), Walter De Jong (Cornell U), Greg Porter (U ME), Kristen Brown-Donovan (U ME), Ramon Arancibia (VA Tech), Xinshun Qu (PA State), Francesco di Gioia (PA State), Matt Kleinhenz (OH State (called in)), Brad Halladay (Medius Ag)

Brief Summary of Minutes

Attachment enclosed in .docx format.

Minutes Attachment:

NE1731 minutes 2019 final.doc

Accomplishments

Publications

Publications (peer-reviewed journals): Bali, S. G. Patel, R. Novy, K. Vining, A. Thompson, C. Brown, D. Holm, G. Porter, J. Endelman, and V. Sathuvalli.  2018.  Evaluation of genetic diversity among russet potato clones and varieties from breeding programs across the United States.  Plos One.  Published online (2018) doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201415   Endelman JB, Schmitz Carley CA, Bethke PC, Coombs JJ, Clough ME, da Silva WL, De Jong WS, Douches DS, Frederick CM, Haynes KG, Holm DG, Miller Jr JC, Muñoz PM, Navarro FM, Novy RG, Palta JP, Porter GA, Rak KT, Sathuvalli VR, Thompson AL, Yencho GC (2018) Genetic variance partitioning and genome-wide prediction with allele dosage information in autotetraploid potato.  Genetics 209:77-87.  <a href="https://doi.org/10.1534/genetics.118.300685">https://doi.org/10.1534/genetics.118.300685</a>   Haynes, K.G. and M.L. Guedes.  2018.  Self-compatibility in a diploid hybrid population of Solanum phureja-S. stenotomum.  Amer J. Potato Res.  95: 729-734.   Haynes, KG, Qu XS.  2018.  Three cycles of recurrent maternal half-sib Selection continue to reduce foliar late blight in a diploid hybrid Solanum phureja-S. stenotomum population.  Amer J. Potato Res.  doi.org/10.1007/s12230-018-9681-x. Jansky, S., D. Douches, and K. Haynes.  2018.  Germplasm release: three tetraploid potato clones with resistance to common scab.  Amer. J. Potato Res.  95:178-182.   Jansky, S., D. Douches, and K. Haynes.  2018.  Transmission of scab resistance to tetraploid potato via unilateral sexual polyploidization.  Amer. J. Potato Res.  95:272-277.   Massa, A.N, N. C. Manrique-Carpintero, J. Coombs, K.G. Haynes, P.C. Bethke, T.L. Brandt, S.K. Gupta, G.C. Yencho, R.G. Novy and D.S. Douches. 2018. Linkage analysis and QTL mapping in a tetraploid russet mapping population of potato. BMC Genetics 19:87.   Park J, Yang H, De Jong WS, Wang X (2018) An Evaluation of two H1-Linked Markers and their Suitability for Selecting Globodera rostochiensis Resistant Potatoes in the New York Breeding Program.  American Journal of Potato Research 95:170-177   https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-017-9623-z   Schmitz Carley, C. A., J. J. Coombs, M. E. Clough, W. S. De Jong, D. S. Douches, K. G. Haynes, C. R. Higgins, D. G. Holm, J. C. Miller, Jr., F. M. Navarro, R. G. Novy, J. P. Palta, D. L. Parish, G. A. Porter, V. R. Sathuvalli, A. L. Thompson, G. C. Yencho, L. Zotarelli, and J. B. Endelman,.  2019.  Genetic covariance of environments in the potato national chip processing trial.  Crop Sci.  58: 1-8.  Published online (2018) doi: 10.2135/cropsci2018.05.0314   Schumann, M.J., Z-B Zeng, M.E. Clough, G. C. Yencho. 2017. Linkage map construction and QTL analysis for internal heat necrosis in autotetraploid potato. Theor. Appl. Gen. DOI: 10.1007/s00122-017-2941-1.   Xue, W, Haynes, KG, Qu XS. 2018. Characterization of early blight resistance in potato cultivars. Plant Disease (In Press).     Published Abstracts:   Hao, J.J., Ge, T., Marangoni, N., Jiang, H., Johnson, S.B., Larkin, R.P. Characterization of the pathogens that cause blackleg of potato in Maine and their responses to chemical treatments and varieties. Euphresco III Dickeya/Pectobacterium Workshop. NAK, Emmeloord, The Netherlands, Nov. 15-16, 2018.   Marangoni, N., Hao, J. and Haynes, K.G. Resistance to soft rot bacteria in diploid S. phureja-S. stenotomum potatoes. Annual Meeting of Potato Association of America. Fargo, ND. Jul. 22-27, 2018.   Hao, J. Updates on blackleg and soft rot of potato. Annual Meeting of Maine Potato Conference. Caribou Inn, Presque Isle, ME. Jan. 16-17, 2018.   Porter, G.A., P. Ocaya, and T. Mills.  2017.  Caribou Russet: A new russet potato variety for fresh market and fry processing.   American Journal of Potato Research 94:239 (abst).   Porter, G.A. and P. Ocaya.  2017.  Processing quality of advanced fry processing varieties versus Russet Burbank in SCRI agronomic trials, Maine 2013-2015.  American Journal of Potato Research 94:240 (abst).     Technical Articles or Reports, not refereed   Arancibia, R. 2018. Virginia Potato Variety Trial Report - 2018.    Arancibia, R.A. 2018. Potato. In Wyenandt (Coordinator), Elsa Sanchez (Hort. Ed.), 2018 Mid-Atlantic Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations (2018 revision). VCE publication 456-420 (AREC-232P) <a href="http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/456/456-420/456-420.html">http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/456/456-420/456-420.html</a>   De Jong, W.S., R. Plaisted, D.E. Halseth, and S. Menasha. 2018. New York Potato Variety Trial and Breeding Report - 2018, 40 pp.   Kleinhenz, M.D., S.D. Walker, B. Williams, and Walter.  2018. Ohio Potato Germplasm Evaluation Report - 2018, 88 pp. Ohio State University Horticulture and Crop Series Series N. 856.  Also available at <a href="https://potatoes.ncsu.edu/NEReports.html">https://potatoes.ncsu.edu/NEReports.html</a>   Krupek, F.S., S. Sargent, P.J. Dittmar, L.Zotarelli. 2018. Seed piece spacing adjustment for Florida chipping potatoes. Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida EDIS Publication HS1337. 5p. <a href="http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1317">http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1317</a> Mwatuwa, R., C.T. Christenseng, P. Solano, L. Zotarelli. 2017. University of Florida Potato Variety Trials Spotlight: ‘French Fingerling’. Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida EDIS Publication HS1300. 3p. <a href="http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1300">http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1300</a> Mwatuwa, R., C.T. Christenseng, P. Solano, L. Zotarelli. 2017. University of Florida Potato Variety Trials Spotlight: ‘Goldrush’. Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida EDIS Publication HS1299. 4p. <a href="http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1297">http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs129</a>9 Mwatuwa, R., C.T. Christenseng, P. Solano, K.G. Haynes, L. Zotarelli. 2017. University of Florida Potato Variety Trials Spotlight: ‘Harley Blackwell’. Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida EDIS Publication HS1298. 4p. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1298 Mwatuwa, R., C.T. Christenseng, P. Solano, L. Zotarelli. 2017. University of Florida Potato Variety Trials Spotlight: ‘LaChipper’. Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida EDIS Publication HS1297. 4p. <a href="http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1297">http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1297</a> Mwatuwa, R., C.T. Christenseng, P. Solano, L. Zotarelli. 2017. University of Florida Potato Variety Trials Spotlight: ‘Yukon Gold’. Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida EDIS Publication HS1296. 4p. <a href="http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1296">http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1296</a> Mwatuwa, R., C.T. Christenseng, P. Solano, K.G. Haynes, L. Zotarelli. 2017. University of Florida Potato Variety Trials Spotlight: ‘Peter Wilcox’. Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida EDIS Publication HS1295. 4p. <a href="http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1295">http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1295</a> Mwatuwa, R., C.T. Christenseng, P. Solano, L. Zotarelli. 2017. University of Florida Potato Variety Trials Spotlight: ‘Fabula’. Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida EDIS Publication HS1294. 4p. <a href="http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1294">http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1294</a> Mwatuwa, R., C.T. Christenseng, P. Solano, L. Zotarelli. 2017. University of Florida Potato Variety Trials Spotlight: ‘Andirondack Blue’. Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida EDIS Publication HS1293. 3p. <a href="http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1293">http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1293</a>   Porter, G.A., P. Ocaya, B. MacFarline, and B. Plummer.  2018.  Potato variety trial results in Maine, 2018 growing season.   SFA Research Report (posted on www and distributed to industry), 2018-01, 46 pp. Also available at https://potatoes.ncsu.edu/NEReports.html   Porter, G.A., P. Ocaya, and T. Mills.  2018.   Maine potato breeding program annual report, 2018 growing season.   SFA Research Report (posted on www and distributed to industry), 22 pp.    Qu, X. and B.J. Christ.  2018. Pennsylvania Potato Research Report- 2018, 55 pp (posted on www and distributed to industry). Also available at <a href="https://potatoes.ncsu.edu/NEReports.html">https://potatoes.ncsu.edu/NEReports.html</a>   Qu XS, Peck MW, Moore CE, Christ BJ.  2018.  Evaluation of fungicides for control of potato early blight in Pennsylvania, 2017.  Plant Disease Management Reports 12: V019.   Qu XS, Peck MW, Moore CE, Christ BJ.  2018.  Field evaluation of potato cultivars and breeding lines for resistance to powdery scab in Pennsylvania, 2017.  Plant Disease Management Reports 12: V017.   Qu XS, Peck MW, Moore CE, Christ BJ.  2018.  Field evaluation of potato cultivars and breeding lines for resistance to late blight in Pennsylvania, 2017.  Plant Disease Management Reports 12: V020.   Qu XS, Peck MW, Moore CE, Christ BJ.  2018.  Field evaluation of potato cultivars and breeding lines for resistance to early blight in Pennsylvania, 2017.  Plant Disease Management Reports 12: V018.   Yencho, G.C. and M.E. Clough. 2018. NC Potato Variety Trial and Breeding Report - 2018, 50 pp. Also available at https://potatoes.ncsu.edu   Zotarelli, L. 2018. Florida Potato Variety Trial Report - 2018, 122 pp. Also available at <a href="http://hos.ufl.edu/extension/variety-trials/variety-trial-crops/potatoes">http://hos.ufl.edu/extension/variety-trials/variety-trial-crops/potatoes</a>   Presentations:   Allif, H. and R. Arancibia.  2018.  VT-REEL Experience in Agricultural Sciences: Biochemical responses to stress in potato.  Virginia Tech Annual Summer Research Symposium, July 26, 2018, Blacksburg, VA.   Brown, K.M.. G.A. Porter, J. Hao, P.C. Ocaya, and T. Mills.  2018.  Progress report on developing DNA-based markers for improving late blight resistance of potato.   Report to the Maine Potato Board, Presque Isle, ME.  February 13, 2018.   Clough, M. How much water is in a potato? – Tyrrell County Elementary School 2nd grade – Nov 28th 2017   Clough, M. and C. Yencho. Annual grower update - Pasquotank Regional Potato Grower Meeting Dec 14th 2017   De Jong, W. S., ‘Update on Cornell Chip Breeding’, Western NY Chip Potato Growers, Hornell NY (February 15, 2018).   De Jong, W. S., ‘What’s New in Cornell’s Potato Breeding Program', 2018 Long Island Ag Forum, Riverhead NY (January 10, 2018).   De Jong, W. S., ‘The Cornell Potato Breeding and Selection Program (What’s New?)', 2018 Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention, Hershey PA (February 1, 2018)   De Jong, W. S., ‘Discussion of potato varieties and free samples of same’,  Richford Potato Festival, Richford NY (September 15, 2018).   Douches, D. and G.C. Yencho. Early Generation Southern Selection Report – Potatoes USA National Chip Program 2018 Variety Selection Meeting   Hao, J. Title: “Dickeya updates.” 32nd Maine Potato Conference, Caribou Inn, ME. Jan. 17-18, 2018. Oral presentation.   Hao, J.J. Title: “Characterization of the pathogens that cause blackleg of potato in Maine and their responses to chemical treatments and varieties.” Euphresco III   Dickeya/Pectobacterium Workshop. NAK, Emmeloord, The Netherlands, Nov. 15-16, 2018. Oral presentation.   Hao, J. Title: “Biologically Managing Potato Common Scab.” Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot, China. Mar. 20, 2018. Oral presentation.   Marangoni, N., Hao, J. and Haynes, K.G. 2018. Resistance to soft rot bacteria in diploid S. phureja-S. stenotomum potatoes. Annual Meeting of Potato Association of America. Fargo, ND. Jul. 22-27. Poster.   Pesantes, L.G., A.L.B.R. da Silva, P. Solano, L. Zotarelli, S.Sargent, P.J. Dittmar. Seed piece spacing study for table stock potatoes and its implications on weed management and postharvest. Agricultural Extension Demonstration and Research Project Symposium. East Palatka, FL, November 27, 2018. Attendance 25 participants.   Porter, G.A., P. Ocaya, and T. Mills.   2018.  Nitrogen rate effects on yield and fry processing quality of Caribou Russet.  Presentation at the 102th Annual Meeting of the Potato Association of America, Boise, ID. July 22-26, 2018.   Porter, G.A. and P. Ocaya.  2018.  Progress report on new potato variety research - 2017 Growing Season.  Report to the Maine Potato Board, Presque Isle, ME.  February 13, 2018.   Porter, G.A. and P. Ocaya.  2018.  Progress report on potato nutrient management research - 2017 Growing Season.  Report to the Maine Potato Board, Presque Isle, ME.  February 13, 2018.   Porter, G.A., P. Ocaya, and T. Mills.  2018.  Progress report on Maine potato breeding program – 2017 growing season.   Report to the Maine Potato Board, Presque Isle, ME. February 13, 2018.   Porter, G.A., P. Ocaya, and T. Mills.  2018.  Progress report on potato variety research and potato breeding at the University of Maine - 2017 Growing Season.  Report to the NE1231 Eastern Regional Technical Committee, Beltsville, MD.  January 4-5, 2018.   Qu, X., 2017 Potato Trials in Pennsylvania and Promising Varieties; Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention, Hershey, PA, February 1, 2018   Qu, X., Pennsylvania Potato Germplasm Trials 2017, Eastern Pennsylvania Potato Day, Schnecksville, PA, March 6, 2018   Qu, X., Potato Variety Trials, Potato Twilight Meeting, Danielsville, PA, September 25, 2018    Silva, A.L.B.R., L. Zotarelli, L.G. Pesantes, J. Fletcher, G. England. Demonstration of best management practices for irrigation and N-fertilizer strategies chipping potato production.   Tan, E.H., Plant Genome Stability and Change, Gatersleben, Germany, June 3, 2018   Tan, E.H., National Association of Plant Breeders, PBCC/SCC80, Guelph, CA, September 7, 2018   Tan, E.H., Plant in New England Meeting, MIT, MA, September 7, 2018   Tan, E.H., Potato Genomics Workshop, Webcast, McGill University, QC, September 26, 2018   Yencho,G.C. and M. Clough. Potato Breeding and Genetics @ NC State. NE 1731 Annual Meeting, USDA ARS, BARC, Beltsville, MD, Jan. 10-11, 2018.   Yencho, G.E., M.E. Clough, J.J. Combs and D.S. Douches. Report on the 2017 Early Generation Southern Selection Trial – Poster – Potato Expo, Jan 9 – 11th 2018   Zotarelli, L. Fine tuning seed spacing, irrigation and nitrogen management for Florida potatoes. Certified Crop Advisor of Florida, Gainesville, FL. October 10, 2018.   Zotarelli, L., P. Solano, D. Dinkins.  Screening of potential potato cultivars for processing (French Fry) for northeast Florida. Agricultural Extension Demonstration and Research Project Symposium. East Palatka, FL, November 27, 2018. Attendance 25 participants. Agricultural Extension Demonstration and Research Project Symposium. East Palatka, FL, November 27, 2018. Attendance 25 participants.   Tours, Field Days, Trade Shows:   Arancibia, R.A. 2018.  Potato variety trials.  Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Painter, VA.  June 21, 2018.   Clough M. and G.C. Yencho, Potato EXPO Jan 9 – 11th 2018   Clough M. and G.C. Yencho, NCSU/Black Gold Farms Show and Tell, Gum Neck NC, May19th, 2018   Clough M. and G.C. Yencho, NCSU/NCPA Show and Tell, Elizabeth City NC, May 20th, 2018   Clough M. and G.C. Yencho, NCSU/Mitchell County Show and Tell, Bakersville, NC, Aug 28th, 2018   De Jong, W. S.  Steuben County Twilight potato meeting (August 30, 2018).    Hao, J. Maine Potato Research Field Day, Aroostook Research Farm, Presque Isle, ME. Aug. 8, 2018. 100 attendees.   Porter, G.A. 2018.  Potato breeding, variety development, and management research update.  Field day presentation to the general public and to the Maine Potato Board, Presque Isle, ME.  August 8, 2018.   Porter, G.  Maine Potato Breeding Program, Trade Show Booth, Maine Potato Conference, January 2018, Caribou, ME   Qu, X., Potato Show, Ag Progress Days, The Pennsylvania State University's Research Farms, August 14–16, 2018   Qu, X., Potato Field Day, Erie County, PA, September 20, 2018   Qu, X., Potato Field Day, Lehigh County, PA, September 25, 2018   Qu, X., PA Governor Student Tour, Centre County, PA, July 30, 2018   Zotarelli, L., 2018 Annual Twilight Potato School. Hastings, FL. April, 17 2018.   Web-based Reports: Clough M. and G.C. Yencho, North Carolina Potato Variety Trial and Breeding Report 2018 (https://potatoes.ncsu.edu/pdf/NC18POTRPT.pdf)   Clough M. and G.C. Yencho, North Carolina NE1731 2018 report (https://potatoes.ncsu.edu/NE1014reports/NorthCarolina18.pdf)   Qu, X., Pennsylvania Potato Research Report, 2017 (https://plantpath.psu.edu/research/areas/plant-disease-management/penn-state-potato-research-program/pennsylvania-potato-research-reports/pennsylvania-potato-research-report-2017)   Porter, G.  Maine Potatoes USA Chipping Potato Trials, website provide field and storage season reports as well as monthly updated photos and charts of chip potato quality.  Developed by G. Porter and University of Maine Bio New Media Lab.   https://nsfasrv.umaine.edu/chips/   Zotarelli, L., UF-IFAS Vegetable Variety Trials Website. https://hos.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/variety-trials/   Newspaper, Radio, Television, and Other Media Articles:   <ol start="2017"> <li>Clough. RADA Radio Interview on Jamaican Potato Production. JIS Radio Jamaica. October 4th 2017.</li> </ol>   Porter, G. Pinto Gold, New Tater in Town, UMAINE Today, Fall/Winter 2018, pg 61   Porter, G.  “Pinto Gold: a new gourmet potato variety released by Umaine” <a href="http://www.mainebiz.biz">www.potatopro.com</a>  May 30, 2018   Porter, G.  University of Maine.  Interviewed by Elyse Catalina, May 2018.  “Pinto Gold: a new gourmet potato variety”.  Press release and www posting by University of Maine, May 2018   Bangor Daily News, Bangor, ME.   Interviewed by Julia Bayly, September 21, 2018 regarding potato taste and flavor (growing conditions and variety effects).  The story appeared in the BDN during fall 2018.   Porter, G.  WABI-TV.  Interviewed June 4, 2018.  “Pinto Gold potato variety and breeding new potato varieties”. Air and/or posting date uncertain, reporter did not provide the information after the interview.   Porter, G.  The Daily Meal.  Interviewed by Gael Cooper, May 30, 2018.  “Pinto Gold potato variety”. Air and/or posting date uncertain, reporter did not provide the information after the interview.   Porter, G.  Boston Globe.  Interviewed by Dugan Arnett, May 30, 2018.  “Pinto Gold potato variety”. Air and/or posting date uncertain, reporter did not provide the information after the interview.   Porter, G.  Interviewed by reporter Jessia Silva (Melwood Global) for a show to be aired by WGBH Boston. The news piece was on the outstanding market quality of our new potato variety, Caribou Russet.  November 14

Impact Statements

NE-1731 IMPACT STATEMENT Advanced clones from our project have been introduced to growers through field days, presentations, publications, web sites, and direct contact with stakeholders at state, regional and national potato industry meetings. NY’s recent chipping releases Waneta (NY138) and Lamoka (NY139) have been widely adopted by commercial growers. Based on certified seed acreage in 2018, Lamoka (3458 acres) has replaced Snowden (1692 acres) as the standard storage chipping variety across the U.S. Waneta has also been widely adopted (1125 acres of seed in 2018). We estimate the value of potato chip production from Lamoka and Waneta for 2018 was in excess of one billion dollars (~15% of U.S. chip production). Brodie (2018), formerly NY140, was recently released as a dual-purpose table and chipstock variety with excellent marketable yields, attractive tuber skin and excellent fry color out of cold storage. It is the first U.S. cultivar with resistance to race Ro2 of the golden nematode and it is also resistant to race Ro1. Ro1 is the long-time golden nematode pest in New York, while Ro2 is a newer race that has become increasingly difficult to manage in New York. Niagara (2018), formerly NY152, was released for chipping and has high yields, excellent chip color out of cold storage, common scab resistance, and small tuber size profile (which makes it well-suited for highly popular, snack-sized bags of potato chips). From ME, Caribou Russet was released during 2015 for fry processing and russet fresh market and was produced on 448 seed acres during 2018. It is being rapidly adopted due to high yields, scab and verticillium resistance, and excellent consumer quality. AF4124-7 and several other advanced fry processing clones are generating strong commercial interest. Twenty additional French fry clones are currently being evaluated by North American potato processors. Our project continues to develop and release varieties for high-value, specialty fresh markets including: Upstate Abundance (NY150), Strawberry Paw (NY136), and Pinto Gold (AF4659-12). Other fresh market releases from our programs including: Adirondack Blue, Adirondack Red, Algonquin, Brodie, Red Maria, Lehigh, and Peter Wilcox continue to be adopted by growers. As evidenced above, the advanced clones and releases from the Eastern project continue to be commercially evaluated and adopted by farmers and our industry stakeholders. Recent Eastern releases were grown on 3,027 ME and NY seed acres during 2018 with a seed value of ~$9.1M. The resulting seed crop has the potential to plant 30,267 acres in 2019 with a ware value estimated at $90.8M. Nationally, varieties produced by our long-term project were grown on 6,649 seed acres during 2018 with an approximate seed value of $20.0M. Several varieties developed though our collective efforts are currently in the top 100 U.S. varieties including (acres, rank): Lamoka (3458, 7), Waneta (1125, 18), Caribou Russet (448, 32), Lehigh (334, 40), Pike (233, 46), Keuka Gold (162, 57), Reba (132, 64), Andover (107, 70), Niagara (101, 71), Brodie (87, 77), Eva (80, 78), NY115 (75, 84), and Harley Blackwell (66, 89). Our collaborative programs are ideally located to breed and select new potato varieties for the important but stressful southeast and east coast growing areas (FL, NC, VA, MD, NJ, DE, NY, and other states). These areas are characterized by short growing seasons, inconsistent rainfall leading to both deficits and flooding, early-season frosts, and late-season heat stress. Atlantic, which occupies ~50% of NC’s acreage, generated ca. $10 million in NC farm-gate receipts is a major variety throughout this region. The chip industry has indicated that replacing Atlantic is a major goal for potato variety development in the U.S. Most major varieties, including Atlantic the dominant out-of-field chipping variety in the U.S., and Lamoka a current leader in storage chipping market, have passed through the eastern U.S. potato breeding collaborative. Our collaborative project is well designed and ideally situated to address future variety needs in the eastern half of the U.S. Disease and pest challenges cost the U.S. potato industry many millions of dollars annually in yield and quality losses, as well as increased control costs. Predominant diseases in the East include late blight, early blight, common scab, powdery scab, soft rot, pink rot, and potato virus Y. Developing improved varieties with resistance to these diseases is the most sustainable long-term approach to combating them. Resistant varieties result in decreased yield and quality losses, while in some cases they allow growers to reduce their use of chemical pesticides. Sometime resistant varieties are the only practical solution to a pest problem. For example, potatoes cannot be produced in some areas of New York unless golden nematode resistant varieties are grown.

Date of Annual Report: 06/30/2020

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 01/06/2020 - 01/07/2020
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2018 - 09/30/2019

Participants

Brief Summary of Minutes

Brief summary of minutes of annual meeting (January 6-7, 2020; Building 010A, BARC-West, 10300 Baltimore Avenue). Attendees at the January 2020 annual NE1731 meeting were Craig Yencho (NC State), Mark Clough (NC State), Walter De Jong (Cornell U), Greg Porter (U ME), Ek Han Tan (U ME), Mark Huttton (U ME, now serving as administrative advisor), Xinshun Qu (PA State), Chris Clarke (USDA-ARS), Richard Jones (USDA-ARS), Lincoln Zotarelli (U FL), Michael Brooks (NJ grower), John Coombs (NJ grower), Ronny Abrams (NJ grower).

Project Business

Minutes from the 2019 meeting were approved as was the 2020 agenda. Appointment of Committees: Site selection – Raleigh NC, December 14-15, 2020. Going forward, plan is to have face-to-face meetings every two years, with online meetings (e.g. Zoom) in alternate years. Resolutions – Craig Yencho, Lincoln Zotarelli, Xinshun Qu. Nominations – non-rotation continues. Porter as chair, Clough as deputy chair, De Jong as secretary.

Administrative Advisor Report – M. Hutton. Opportunity for NE1731 project to receive training in writing effective impact statements from NERA information management and communication team stands. (Was scheduled for last year’s annual meeting, but had to be cancelled due to government shutdown). NC hosts will look into scheduling this for next annual meeting.

National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Report (TBD). No NIFA representative was able to attend.

Research presentations

Chris Clarke (USDA-ARS) spoke on “Pest management options for diverse lineages of pathogenic Streptomyces, the causal agents of common scab disease”. Current understanding is that thaxtomin A is key to pathogenicity. Sequencing 150 Streptomyces strains has revealed that: thaxtomin production machinery is necessary, but not sufficient for pathogenesis and there are more Streptomyces species than previously recognized. General observation: scab pathogen can vary considerably across regions, e.g. scab pathogen in Maine is quite different from the scab pathogen in Wisconsin. Chris is also testing whether non-pathogenic Streptomyces can be used as biocontrol agents for other potato diseases, e.g. Meloidogyne chitwoodii.

Richard Jones (USDA-ARS) presented on “Evaluating potential mechanisms of host resistance to early blight”. Seeking to understand what differentiates Alternaria saprophytes from necrophytes. One hypothesis: secreted cell-wall degrading enzymes trigger host cell death. His research group is seeking to identify such elicitors.

Han Tan’s talk (U. Mane): “Workflow automation for marker assisted breeding and genetics of disease resistance”. Han is currently screening about 300 clones a year with markers for golden nematode and PVY resistance genes. Small commercial freeze driers (e.g. from harvestright.com), combined with bead mills and Edwards buffer + SDS have simplified his group’s DNA extraction, while robotic pipettors have simplified PCR.

Don Weber (USDA-ARS) gave a talk on Colorado Potato Beetle management on January 7. He provided an overview of cultural, biological, and behavioral control measures. Producing pheromones at reasonable cost is often a barrier to their deployment.

State Reports

FL – 25,000 acres. Fantastic growing season, weather-wise. High yields.

ME – 52,000 acres. 60% fry and chips, 20% fresh, 20% seed. Number 1 variety is still Russet Burbank. The newer varieties Caribou Russet and Pomerelle Russet are, nevertheless, both looking good. Weather varied by region: central ME had a wet summer, yields and quality were both good; parts of northern ME had much less rain, resulting in poor yield, including the NE1731 seed plots. More pink eye has been observed in Russet Burbank in northern ME this year than ever before.

NY – 14,000 acres. Wet spring considerably delayed planting, but dry fall ensured all potatoes could nevertheless be harvested. Many growers are asking for improved round white tablestock varieties.

NC – 13,500 acres. Wet start delayed planting, followed by many days above 90F during growing season resulted in greatly depressed yields. It was a terrible year for yields, but an excellent year for evaluating susceptibility to internal heat necrosis.

OH – (From Matt Kleinhenz by email) OH is still primarily fresh market, with new interest in chipping out-of-the field.

PA – 5000 acres. 50% chip, 50% table. Good growing season, good yield and quality. Growers are asking for a replacement for Norwis (for diced and fresh-fry) and early-maturing chipping clones.

Comments from Industry

Three growers from NJ (Michael Brooks, John Coombs, Ronny Abrams) spoke about potato production in their state. These three growers represent more than half of the 2000 acres of NJ potatoes. For chipping potatoes, acreage is about half Atlantic, half Snowden. Resistance to internal heat necrosis and early maturity are key to production. Typically start planting April 1, and then start harvesting July 15 no matter what. Ideal chip potato for NJ matures between Atlantic and Snowden and has a gravity of at least 1.080 (which Snowden often does not reach in NJ).

Pathology Reports

Greg Porter distributed 2019 scab trial data. He noted that Jay Hao continues to screen for reaction to Dickeya, Pectobacterium, and pink rot.

Xinshun Qu distributed results of early and late blight testing from PA, as well as common scab trial results.

Breeding/Genetics Reports

Maine. Disease priorities remain PVY, late blight, and common scab. 50% russets, 40% whites, 10% reds and specialty. Seedling numbers were down by about 20% due to budgeting and staffing issues. Selection rate 3% in seedling generation. Intend to release AF4124-7 as ‘Hamlin Russet’. Bulks early, fries well. Breeder’s choices for 2020 are NDAF113484B-1 (red) and AF5280-5 (round white table).

New York. Planted 18,000 seedlings, plan to lower to 15,000 in coming year. Breeder’s choice is NY149 (yellow tablestock).

North Carolina. Started selection at 85-95 days after planting, compared to 115 days post-planting in the past. Many clones bulked/yielded well by this time. Also began testing first-generation clones in three hill plots. 15 to 16K seedlings planned for 2020. Heavy PVY pressure led to about 40% of seed plots getting rogued out in 2019. NC470-3, a chipping clone, is most promising clone in program at present; gravity similar to Atlantic. NCB2607-3 is also of interest: small, red skin and yellow flesh, but lowish yield.

NE1731 data collection and website

Northeast potato breeders decided in 2019 to test the Android “Fieldbook” app for collecting trait/trial data. Mark Clough distributed tablets to audience for a hands-on learning exercise with this software, which can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store. Tutorials are available online.

Brad Halladay of MediusAg is now contracted to host the NE1731 trial data. Website is neproject.mediusag.com. Brad walked us through how to use the new database.

Seed nursery

Greg’s program is taking over field production of seed from from the University of Maine Plant Pathology Program run by Jay Hao and formerly by Dave Lambert. As noted above, yields were low in 2019; this will affect seed availability for 2020 trials. All seed in Maine is now evaluated with a lab test instead of a winter grow-out in Florida.

Breeder’s choices (all sites must evaluate these):

AF5280-5 (round white, competitor for Envol)

NDAF113484B-1 (red)

NY149 (yellow)

Reminder: standard varieties to include in all NE1731 trials:

Atlantic

Dark Red Norland

Snowden

Superior

Yukon Gold

Eastern Region Potato Special Grant

2019 application was funded, but funds cannot be officially released until NIFA performs an administrative review. With recent relocation of NIFA from DC to Kansas City, many awards (including ours) are experiencing processing delays.

New funding opportunities

Specialty crop polyploid tool proposal (NE1731 breeders are participants) will again be submitted in 2020.

Old Business

Greg submitted an impact statement in 2019.

New Business–

Unless funding materializes, we will lose the Long Island evaluation site in 2020. We lost NJ several years ago when Mel Henninger retired. Status of future evaluation in VA is unclear.

Committee Reports

Resolutions (moved De Jong, seconded Clough, approved unanimously):

Be it resolved on this 7^th day of January 2020, that the NE1731 group expresses sincere appreciation to:

Chris Clarke, USDA-ARS BARC, for hosting and assisting with logistics of the meeting as well as presenting his research on potato scab to the project members;

Mark Hutton, Associate Director of the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station, for attending our meeting and providing guidance as our Administrative Advisor;

Greg Porter from the University of Maine for his leadership and service as our project coordinator, including shepherding the special grant through each year.

The University of Maine technical and professional staff for their extensive efforts planting, rogueing, sampling, harvesting, packing, and shipping seed potatoes from the NE1731 seed potato nursery.

Mark Clough of North Carolina State University for his on-going database management and electronic data capture efforts on behalf of the NE1731 project

Brad Halladay of Medius Ag for attending this meeting, presenting an overview of the potato Variety Data Management (VDM) database, and sharing how to use the VDM to manage data from our potato variety trials

Potato growers Mike Brooks, John Coombs and Ronny Abrams from New Jersey for attending our meeting on Monday and advocating for a renewal of collaborative variety evaluation in New Jersey with Rutgers University or a private consultant;

Walter De Jong from Cornell University for serving as the NE1731 Secretary; and

All NE1731 presenters, potato breeders, cultural management specialists, plant pathologists, entomologists, industry collaborators, and trial cooperators for their dedication to our group effort and their intellectual engagement in the process of potato improvement, selection, and variety development. We are fortunate to have such good collaborators!

Other Business – none

Adjournment – January 7, 11:35 am.

Accomplishments

Publications

Refereed Journal Papers Christensen, C.T., L. Zotarelli, K.G. Haynes, C.E. Kelly. 2020. The comparative evaluation of the effects of gibberellic acid concentrations on dormancy break in tubers of Solanum chacoense. Horttechnology 20:76-81.  https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH4448-19   Haynes, K.G., L. Zotarelli, C.T. Christensen, S.Walker. 2019. Early Generation Selection Within a Diploid Hybrid Solanum tuberosum Groups Phureja and Stenotomum Population for the Specialty Potato Market in the United States. HortScience 54(12):2118-2124. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI13576-18   Comai L.,E.H. Tan. 2019. Haploid Induction and Genome Instability. Trends in Genetics, doi: 10.1016/j.tig.2019.07.005   Dandurand L-M, I.A. Zasada, X. Wang, B. Mimee, W. De Jong, R. Novy,  J. Whitworth, J.C. Kuhl.  2019. Current Status of Potato Cyst Nematodes in North America. Annual Review of Phytopathology 57: 117-133.  <a href="https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-phyto-082718-100254">https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-phyto-082718-100254</a>   Johnson, A.M., G. Porter, and M.E. Camire.  2019.  Low-acrylamide French Fry Acceptance: A Pilot Study.  Journal of Food Science.  84(12) 3717-3725.   Kolech, S.A. W. De Jong, D. Halseth, S. Schulz S.  2019.  Understanding farmer needs and unlocking local genetic resources for potato improvement: a case study in Ethiopia. African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development 19:13883-13905. DOI: 10.18697/ajfand.84.BLFB1012   Massa, A.N, N. C. Manrique-Carpintero, J. Coombs, K.G. Haynes, P.C. Bethke, T.L. Brandt, S.K. Gupta, G.C. Yencho, R.G. Novy and D.S. Douches. 2018. Linkage analysis and QTL mapping in a tetraploid russet mapping population of potato. BMC Genetics 19:87.   Schmitz Carley C.A., J.J. Coombs, M.E. Clough, W.S. De Jong, D.S. Douches, K.G. Haynes,  C.R. Higgins, D.G. Holm, J.C. Miller, F.M. Navarro, R.G. Novy, J.P. Palta, D.L. Parish, G.A. Porter, V.R. Sathuvalli, A.L. Thompson, L. Zotarelli, G.C. Yencho, J.B. Endelman. 2019. Genetic Covariance of Environments in the Potato National Chip Processing Trial. Crop Science 58:1-8.  doi: 10.2135/cropsci2018.05.0314   Published Abstracts Porter, G.A., P. Ocaya, and T. Mills.   2019.  Nitrogen rate effects on yield and fry processing quality of Caribou Russet.  American Journal of Potato Research.  96: 317 (abst)   Silva, A.L.B.R., L.G. Pesantes, W. Mussoline, G.K. England, L. Zotarelli. 2019. N-fertilizer rate and timing for potato irrigated with seepage and subsurface drain-tile in Florida. 2019 Proceedings of the Potato Association of America Annual Meeting. Winnipeg, Canada. p.39.     Other Publications Kleinhenz, M.D., S.D. Walker. 2019. 2019 Ohio potato germplasm evaluation report, in Cooperation with the Northeast (NE-1731) Regional Project, The Ohio State University Horticulture and Crop Science Series No. 877, Nov. 2019. 68 pp.   Krupek, F.S., S. Sargent, P.J. Dittmar, L.Zotarelli. 2018. Seed piece spacing adjustment for Florida chipping potatoes. Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida EDIS Publication HS1337. 5p. <a href="http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1317">http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1317</a> Pesantes, L.G., L. Zotarelli. 2019. Seed piece spacing study for table stock potatoes. Potato Field Day 2019. 2p. Handouts of field day.   Pesantes, L.G., L. Zotarelli. 2019. Timing and rate application of phosphorus to chipping potato Atlantic. Potato Field Day 2019. 1p. Handouts field day. Porter, G.A., P. Ocaya, B. MacFarline, and B. Plummer.  2019.  Potato variety trial results in Maine, 2019 growing season.   SFA Research Report (posted on www and distributed to industry), 2019-01, 39 pp. Also available at https://potatoes.ncsu.edu/NEReports.html   Porter, G.A. and P. Ocaya.  2020.  Progress report on potato variety development research - 2019 Growing Season.  Report to the Maine Potato Board, submitted February 2020, 8 pp.   Porter, G.A. and P. Ocaya.  2020.  Progress report on Maine potato breeding program – 2019 growing season.   Report to the Maine Potato Board, submitted February 2020, 12 pp.               Qu X.S., W.Y. Xue, M.W. Peck.  2019.  Field evaluation of potato cultivars and breeding lines for resistance to late blight in Pennsylvania, 2018.  Plant Disease Management Reports 13:V046.   Qu X.S., W.Y. Xue, M.W. Peck 2019.  Field evaluation of potato cultivars and breeding lines for resistance to common scab in Pennsylvania, 2018.  Plant Disease Management Reports 13:V061.   Qu X.S., W.Y. Xue, M.W. Peck 2019.  Field evaluation of potato cultivars and breeding lines for resistance to early blight in Pennsylvania, 2018.  Plant Disease Management Reports 13:V075.   Qu X.S., W.Y. Xue, M.W. Peck 2019.  Evaluation of fungicides for control of potato early blight in Pennsylvania, 2018.  Plant Disease Management Reports 13:V005.   Qu X.S., W.Y. Xue, M.W. Peck 2019.  Evaluation of foliar fungicides for control of potato late blight in Pennsylvania, 2018.  Plant Disease Management Reports 13:V006.   PRESENTATIONS: Clough, M. and C. Yencho. 2018. Annual grower update - Pasquotank Regional Potato Grower Meeting Dec 5th 2018   Clough, M.. 2019. Promising varieties in the mid-Atlantic- Eastern Shore Vegetable EXPO  Feb. 23 2019   Clough, M. 2019. Promising varieties for NC – Surry County Specialty Crop Roundtable Feb. 29 2019   DeJong, W.S.  2019.  Potato Show&Tell, December 2019, Ithaca NY.   DeJong, W.S.  2019 ‘Update on Cornell Chip Breeding’, 21 February 2019, Western NY Grower-Processor Meeting, Hornell NY.   DeJong, W.S.  2019 ‘Lady Liberty, a New Variety with Excellent Chip Color from Cold Storage’, 21 March 2019, Northeast Potato Technology Forum, Charlottetown PEI.   DeJong, W.S. 2019.  Potato Variety Trials 2018. Potato Twilight Meeting, Germansville, PA, September 19, 2019   Porter, G.A. and P. Ocaya.  2020.  Progress report on new potato variety research - 2019 Growing Season.  Report to the Maine Potato Board, Presque Isle, ME.  March 10, 2020.   Porter, G.A., P. Ocaya, and K. Brown.  2020.  Progress report on Maine potato breeding program – 2019 growing season.   Report to the Maine Potato Board, Presque Isle, ME. March 10, 2020.               Porter, G.A.  2020.  Caribou Russet Management.  Presentation at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Potato Conference, Caribou, ME. January 23, 2020.   Porter, G.A., P. Ocaya, and K. Brown.  2020.  Progress report on potato variety research and potato breeding at the University of Maine - 2019 Growing Season.  Report to the NE1731 Eastern Regional Technical Committee, Beltsville, MD.  January 6-7, 2020.   Qu, X.S.  2019.  Pennsylvania Potato Germplasm Trials in Pennsylvania 2018.  Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Conference, Hershey, PA, January 30, 2019.   Qu, X.S.  2019.  Potato Variety Research at Penn State. Eastern Pennsylvania Potato Day, Schnecksville, PA, March 13, 2019   Yencho, G.C. and M. Clough. 2019 Potato Breeding and Genetics @ NC State. NE 1731 Annual Meeting, USDA ARS, BARC, Beltsville, MD, Jan. 3-4, 2019.   Zotarelli, L. 2018. Fine tuning seed spacing, irrigation and nitrogen management for potatoes in Florida. Certified Crop Advisors, Gainesville, FL. (broadcast statewide).  11 Nov. 2018.   TOURS, FIELD DAYS, TRADES SHOWS (INCLUDE DATES): Clough, M.  2019.  Potato EXPO Jan 8 – 11th 2019   Clough, M.  2019.  NCSU/Black Gold Farms Show and Tell, Gum Neck NC, May19th, 2019   De Jong, W.S.  2019.  Twilight Potato Meeting, 12 August 2019.  Corey Mark Farm, Wayland NY   Porter, G.A., P. Ocaya, and T.Mills   2020.  Maine potato breeding program.  University of Maine Cooperative Extension Potato Conference, Caribou, ME. January 23 and 24, 2020.   Porter, G.A. 2019.  Potato breeding, variety development, and management research update.  Field day presentation  to the general public and to the Maine Potato Board, Presque Isle, ME.  August 20, 2019.   Qu, X.S. 2019.  Potato Show, Ag Progress Days, The Pennsylvania State University's Research Farms, August 13–15, 2019   Qu, X.S. 2019.  Potato Field Day, Erie County, PA, September 20, 2019   Qu, X.S. 2019.  Potato Field Day, Lehigh County, PA, September, 2019     WEB-BASED REPORTS: Clough, M and G.C. Yencho.  2019.  North Carolina Potato Variety Trial and Breeding Report 2019 (https://potatoes.ncsu.edu/pdf/NC19POTRPT.pdf)   Clough, M and G.C. Yencho.  2019.  North Carolina NE1731 2019 report (https://potatoes.ncsu.edu/NE1014reports/NorthCarolina19.pdf)   Kleinhenz, M.D., “Lab to Field to Basket: Potato Research and Extension to Strengthen the “Chip Business.” Vegnet Newsletter - Vegetable and Fruit Crop News. Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Aug. 17, 2019. <a href="http://u.osu.edu/vegnetnews/2019/08/17/lab-to-field-to-basket-potato-research-and-extension-to-strengthen-the-chip-business/">http://u.osu.edu/vegnetnews/2019/08/17/lab-to-field-to-basket-potato-research-and-extension-to-strengthen-the-chip-business/</a> Kleinhenz, M.D., “Harvests of Data Hopefully Increase Harvests of Money.” Vegnet Newsletter - Vegetable and Fruit Crop News. Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Aug. 24, 2019. <a href="http://u.osu.edu/vegnetnews/2019/08/24/harvests-of-data-hopefully-increase-harvests-of-money/">http://u.osu.edu/vegnetnews/2019/08/24/harvests-of-data-hopefully-increase-harvests-of-money/</a>   Qu, X.S.  2018.  Pennsylvania Potato Research Report, 2018 (https://plantpath.psu.edu/research/areas/plant-disease-management/penn-state-potato-research-program/pennsylvania-potato-research-reports/pennsylvania-potato-research-report-2018)     NEWSPAPER, READIO, TELEVISION MEDIA ARTICLES (INCLUDE DATES): Porter, G.A. 2019.  Survival of the Fittest Tuber.  Written by Jeffrey B. Roth following field site visit and interview with Greg Porter, University of Maine.   October 2019, Lancaster Farming.  Published in print and also on-line at https://www.lancasterfarming.com/news/northern_edition/survival-of-the-fittest-tuber/article_10b4c404-b6e6-591e-8811-674c4fc10d0d.html              Porter, G.A. 2019.  WAGM-TV, Presque Isle, ME. Appeared on “Potato Picker’s Special” and was interviewed by Robert Grimm and Shawn Cunningham, October 1, 2019.  “Potato breeding and variety development.”

Impact Statements

Date of Annual Report: 04/02/2021

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 12/14/2020 - 12/15/2020
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2019 - 09/30/2020

Participants

Craig Yencho (NC State), Mark Clough (NC State), Mohamed Ibrahim (NC State), Walter De Jong (Cornell U), Greg Porter (U ME), Han Tan (U ME), Kristen Brown-Donovan (U ME), Mark Hutton (U ME), Paul Collins (soon-to-be USDA-ARS in Orono, ME), Mark Reiter (VA Tech), Xinshun Qu (PA State), Matt Kleinhenz (OH State), Lincoln Zotarelli (U FL), Christian Christensen (U FL), Marcio Resende (U FL), Tom Bewick (USDA NIFA), Chris Hopkins (Black Gold), Jonathan Price (Sterman Masser Farms), Jake Dyer (Maine Potato Board), Don Flannery (Maine Potato Board), Ben Harris (Potatoes USA), John Lundeen (Potatoes USA), Brad Halladay (Medius Ag), Bob Leiby (PA Coop Potato Growers)

Brief Summary of Minutes

Brief summary of minutes of annual meeting (December 14-15, 2020 on-line virtual meeting ). Attendees at the December 2020 annual NE1731 meeting were Craig Yencho (NC State), Mark Clough (NC State), Mohamed Ibrahim (NC State), Walter De Jong (Cornell U), Greg Porter (U ME), Han Tan (U ME), Kristen Brown-Donovan (U ME), Mark Hutton (U ME), Paul Collins (soon-to-be USDA-ARS in Orono, ME), Mark Reiter (VA Tech), Xinshun Qu (PA State), Matt Kleinhenz (OH State), Lincoln Zotarelli ( U FL), Christian Christensen (U FL), Marcio Resende (U FL), Tom Bewick (USDA NIFA), Chris Hopkins (Black Gold), Jonathan Price (Sterman Masser Farms), Jake Dyer (Maine Potato Board), Don Flannery (Maine Potato Board), Ben Harris (Potatoes USA), John Lundeen (Potatoes USA), Brad Halladay (Medius Ag), Bob Leiby (PA Coop Potato Growers).

Project Business

Craig Yencho welcomed the group and called the meeting to order at 1:00 PM. The 2020 minutes (from the January 2020 meeting) were unanimously approved (moved by Porter, seconded by Clough). Introductions took place and committee chairs were appointed as follows: Site selection – Lincoln Zotarelli; Resolutions – Greg Porter; Nominations – Walter De Jong. Local Arrangements comments were confined to the planned daily start and stop times for the on-line meeting.

Administrative Advisor Report – Mark Hutton. Administrative Advisor Mark Hutton would like to nominate NE1731 for a national multistate award. The process will require some additional documentation from us. The current project ends in Fall 2022. He will write to us about a year in advance to initiate project re-write.

National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Report – Tom Bewick. NIFA representative Tom Bewick noted that NIFA has undergone many changes the past four years. In 2016, NIFA had 419 employees. On 10/1/2019, they had only 80. As of today, NIFA is up to 200. The staffing changes, and current travel restrictions due to the pandemic, are providing an opportunity to remake NIFA. Two notable changes: 1) it is now possible to see, online and in advance, when non-AFRI requests for applications will be issued. This allows for better planning by investigators. See NIFA website. 2) All funding opportunities are now listed in a weekly newsletter. Anyone can subscribe.

Research presentations

Han Tan provided on overview of the SCRI diploid potato project, a national effort to reinvent potato as an inbred diploid crop.

Walter De Jong provided an overview of the SCRI tools for polyploid breeding project. The first computational training workshops are Jan 13-15 2021, via Zoom.

Kristen Brown-Donavan presented an overview of her PhD research. She evaluated 40 potato varieties and clones for the presence of six different R genes, and also assessed resistance of 20 with detached leaf assays. Her results can help breeders who wish to stack late blight R genes.

Mohamed Ibrahim outlined the approach NC will be using to assess/implement genomic selection in potato breeding for the purpose of accelerating genetic gain. Target traits are yield, specific gravity and possibly tuber set, all in chipping potatoes. NCSU will be genotyping with a new platform ‘OmSeq’ developed at NCSU, estimated cost $10-15 per sample. The training population consists of about 700 individuals, from 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th field generations.

State Site Reports

FL – estimated 26,000 acres, down from 32,000 in 2014. About 7,000,000 cwt were harvested; 75% chipping, 25% fresh. The State of Florida is paying more attention to fertilizer use and associated run-off; this will likely pose challenges for growers of many crops, including potatoes

ME – estimated 51,000 acres for 2020, down about 2% from 2019; 60% fry and chips, 20% fresh, 20% seed. Average yield in ME is typically about 300 cwt/acre, this is much lower than national average of 450 cwt/acre. Due to low rainfall in June, August and September, yields are expected to be even lower in 2020, down about 18%.

NY – estimated 14,000 acres. Similar to ME, low rainfall depressed yield in NY.

NC – estimated 12,000 acres. Commercial growers suffered from too much rainfall early, yields and quality were down. NC is now evaluating about 80% of their first-year clones as 3-hill plots (mirroring NY, which plants four-hill plots at this stage).

OH – USDA stopped tracking potato acreage in Ohio in 2016; 60% chips, 40% tablestock, with the latter largely produced on diversified vegetable farms. Lack of rainfall and high temperatures at tuber initiation and bulking reduced yields.

PA – Estimated 4000-5000 acres; 50% chip, 50% table. Planting and harvesting weather were excellent, but the growing season was hot and dry; yields are down, as is quality.

Comments from Industry

Chris Hopkins, Black Gold Farms: chipping plants are looking for tubers with a smaller size profile. Achieving this with current varieties requires early vine kill and concomitant reduction in yield. Solids continue to be important in chipping varieties (too low and the potatoes are rejected).

Jake Dyer, ME Potato Board: fourth straight year of low rainfall in Maine; this has led to increased investment in irrigation and interest in crop rotations to improve soil quality. Use of fumigants is increasing in Maine, primarily to control Verticillium wilt. Finding farm labor is increasingly difficult.

Bob Leiby, PA Cooperative Growers: PA growers are looking for a replacement for Norwis for “fresh fries”. Potato seed on East coast is currently in very short supply, in part because of drought, in part because border currently closed to seed from PEI (where wart was recently found again after several years without finds).

John Lundeen (Research Director for Potatoes USA) provided an overview on several programs/activities: the National Chip Processing Trial (NCPT), the National Fry Processing Trial (NFPT), the Alliance for Potato Research and Education (APRE), Production Research Advisory Committee (PRAC), and International Seed Trials.

Impact Statement mini-workshop.

Led by Sara Delheimer of NIFA. She is responsible for producing impact statements for multi-state hatch projects. Some tips on writing them: recognize that the audience is broad, that most readers are busy and distracted, that good statements are concise and answer the questions “so what?” and “who cares?”. Phrase the impact in terms of what has changed as a result of the research. A handout summarizing these points, and others, was distributed.

Pathology Reports

Greg Porter will soon email us results from the ME common scab trial, as well as PVY symptom expression data generated by A. Alyokhin’s research program.

Xinshun Qu emailed participants the results of early and late blight testing from PA, as well as common scab trial results. Starting in 2021, Penn State is charging researchers a per acre fee for all research trials.

Breeding/Genetics Reports

Maine. Due to COVID-19, our breeding and variety development programs had to make cuts during 2020. Material already in the evaluation pipeline was prioritized. The program continues to focus disease resistance on PVY, common scab, and late blight. Some numbers: planted 42,000 single-hills, saved 1257 (3%); planted 1333 2^nd-year clones, saved 293 (22%); planted 272 third-year clones, saved 83 (30.5%). The recently released cultivar ‘Caribou Russet’ continues to do well (1137 acres of seed in 2020, ranking it 18^th in US seed potato production). Caribou Russet handles stress better than ‘Russet Burbank’ or ‘Russet Norkotah’. ‘Hamlin Russet’ was released in 2020 (formerly AF44124-7). This variety bulks early and is suitable for the early processing market. AF5280-5 is a promising early-maturing round-white, currently clone that is being considered for release. NDAF1113484B-1 is also a candidate for release. It has red skin, yield comparable to Dark Red Norland, and good eating quality. MASAFB605-4 will enter Northern SNAC trails in 2021. It is resistant to scab and PVY plus it has partial resistance to late blight. MSAFB635-15 will enter Southern SNAC trials in 2021. It has high gravity and outyields Atlantic.

New York. Due to the need to accommodate covid-mandated cuts, no seedlings were planted in 2020, and several yield trials were eliminated. NY165, a high-yielding chipping clone with moderate gravity, will be evaluated in both Northern and Southern SNAC sites in 2021. The NY breeding program annual report was emailed to meeting participants.

North Carolina. The program planted 15700 first-year clones, saved 1028; planted 928 second-year clones, saved 261; planted 138 third and fourth year clones, saved 34. Half of the third year and beyond clones carry markers tightly linked to PVY (mostly Ry-adg) and golden nematode (H1) resistance genes. Two current clones of interest: NCB2607-3 (red skin, yellow flesh) and NC587-10 (yellow flesh specialty, excellent taste).

USDA-ARS. Paul Collins will start as a breeder in January 2021, and unlike Kathy Haynes (his predecessor), who was based in Beltsville MD, Paul will be based on the U ME campus in Orono. For the past 1.5 years, Paul has been a postdoc at Michigan State, overseeing diploid breeding efforts there.

Update on the NE1731 website/database/data reporting. Brad Halladay gave a presentation highlighting updated features in the NE1731 database hosted at neproject.medius.re. M. Clough asked that we add latitude and longitude data to our NE1731 trial reports, as well as planting and harvest dates. This will facilitate access to relevant weather data for each trial. C. Yencho suggested that each breeding program consider organizing future breeding data in a breeder’s database, e.g., BreedBase. His sweet potato breeding program already does this.

Seed orders, shopping list, new entries – Greg Porter. Greg emailed all participants a list of 17 clones to be considered for evaluation. Yields were low in 2020, so seed supply is limited.

Breeder’s choices (all sites must evaluate these):

AF5819-2 (round white)

MSAFB635-15 (chip)

NDAF1113484B-1 (red)

NY165 (chip)

Standard varieties to include in all NE1731 trials:

Atlantic

Dark Red Norland

Snowden

Superior

Yukon Gold

Eastern Region Potato Special Grant. Next two-year proposal will need to be written in early 2021.

New funding opportunities. Consider a submission to AFRI’s foundational plant breeding program?

Old Business. Soon after the conclusion of this meeting we need to submit annual report and minutes; please provide input promptly when requested.

New Business. Discussion on whether a second site would be useful when evaluating clones for potential to replace ‘Atlantic’. If resources are available, yes; heat necrosis does not manifest every year at North Carolina trial site.

Committee Reports

Site Selection: next meeting will be in Raleigh NC, December 13-14, 2021. Coronavirus willing. Otherwise Zoom, again.

Nominations: current committee will continue (Porter as Chair, Clough as Deputy Chair, De Jong as Secretary). Intent is to reformulate committee at next annual meeting.

Resolutions (approved unanimously):

Be it resolved on this 15th day of December 2020, that the NE1731 group expresses sincere appreciation to:

a) Mark Clough and Craig Yencho, North Carolina State University, for organizing and leading this meeting;

b) Tom Bewick, USDA-NIFA, for providing an update on USDA-NIFA programs and for his leadership in providing, maintaining, and administering NIFA funding of agricultural research;

c) Sara Delheimer, USDA-NIFA Multistate Research Fund Impacts Program, for her helpful presentation on writing high quality impact statements;

d) Paul Ocaya and other members of the University of Maine technical and professional staff for their extensive efforts planting, rogueing, sampling, harvesting, packing, and shipping seed potatoes from the NE1731 seed potato nursery;

e) Mark Clough of North Carolina State University for his ongoing database management and electronic data capture efforts on behalf of the NE1731 project;

f) Brad Halladay of Medius Ag for continuing to assist us in the use of the potato Variety Data Management (VDM) database, and sharing how to use the VDM to manage and summarize data from our potato variety trials;

g) Greg Porter, University of Maine; Craig Yencho, North Carolina State University; and Walter De Jong, Cornell University for continuing to serve their NE1731 project leadership roles; and

h) All NE1731 presenters, potato breeders, cultural management specialists, plant pathologists, entomologists, industry collaborators, and trial cooperators for their dedication to our group effort and their intellectual engagement in the process of potato improvement, selection, and variety development. We are fortunate to have such good collaborators!

Other Business – none. Adjournment – 1:05 pm.

Accomplishments

Project Accomplishments: This multidisciplinary, regional project utilizes the resources of the potato breeding and variety development community in the eastern US to breed, select, and develop new potato varieties for growers at all scales of production.  It encourages the pooling of regional resources and promotes increased communication within the potato community located in the northeast, mid-Atlantic and southeast. The overarching goal of this project is to identify new potato varieties for use in the Northeastern, mid-Atlantic and southeast US, which will contribute to a more sustainable and profitable potato industry. Many major US varieties, including Atlantic (the dominant out-of-field chipping variety in the US), Lamoka and Waneta (dominant out-of-storage chipping varieties in the US), and Caribou Russet (a popular and extensively-grown new russeted variety) are products of this coordinated eastern potato breeding and variety development effort. As such, the NE-1731 Project and its predecessors NE-1231, NE-1031, NE-1014, NE-184 and NE-107 have played a central role in US potato variety development for many years.  This regional project has: 1) allowed potato breeders to share breeding materials and trial results; 2) facilitated potato germplasm selection and evaluation under diverse environmental conditions in the eastern US; 3) given research and extension personnel the opportunity to evaluate new selections from several potato breeding programs; 4) facilitated regional germplasm screening for specific characteristics at a single location (e.g. early blight, late blight, and common scab resistance in PA; scab and virus resistance in ME; nematode resistance in NY); 5) developed variety profiles and cultural recommendations for most potato selections that enter commercial production; and 6) resulted in the release and adoption of many important US potato cultivars.  Potato breeding for improved quality and pest resistance was conducted in ME, NY, NC, and USDA-ARS Beltsville, MD during 2020.  During 2020, our programs generated 672 new tetraploid families (690,425 seeds) from crosses using parents with desirable quality, utilization, adaptation, and/or pest resistance traits. Progeny (73,653) from earlier crosses were field selected resulting in 3655 clones that will be further evaluated during 2021 under conditions with diverse abiotic and biotic stress in the eastern U.S. and beyond.  These four programs focus on specific pest and marketing issues, so that regional resources are used efficiently.  For example, ME is the only breeding program in the region which focuses on russets and long whites for processing (50% russets, 40% fresh and chipping whites, 10% reds and specialty varieties).  ME also emphasizes research on late blight, pink rot, potato virus Y, soft rot, and scab resistance. During 2020, 359 crosses were made resulting in 248,875 true seed for future selection and variety development. During the 2020 growing season, ME evaluated 42,000 first-year generation clones selecting 1257 (~ 3%) and 1333 second-year clones selecting 293(~22%).  NY emphasizes white-skinned chipping crosses, but also selects fresh market clones of varying skin and flesh colors.  NY emphasizes resistance to golden nematode, but also is crossing for late blight, virus, white cyst nematode, and other resistances. All advanced NY clones were evaluated for resistance to the golden nematode during 2020 using an established bioassay.  NY continues to select for improved chip quality from cold storage.  All new clones are now screened for ability to chip from 43F storage.  Over time this will result in the release of new varieties with improved long-term storage chip quality.  NY continued to make crosses using Nautilus, Abalo, Yellow Finn, and Libertas as outside genetic sources.  These crosses will help broaden the program’s genetic base for potato improvement. During 2020, NY continued to evaluate crosses with the cultivar Innovator, one of a handful of cultivars in the world with high levels of resistance to Globodera pallida.  The goal is to bring higher levels of pallida resistance into our germplasm just in case pallida ever becomes a major threat to US potato production.  Twenty-one advanced NY clones were evaluated in on-farm trials in NY during 2020.   NC’s potato breeding program focuses on heat-stress tolerance and resistance to internal heat necrosis.   In NC, all crosses have pedigrees where either one or both parents has shown good adaptation for heat stress in the form of internal heat necrosis resistance as well as solids accumulation, tuber set and/or tuber bulking. During 2020, 178 crosses were made resulting in 98,780 true seed. In 97% of NC crosses at least one parent was resistant to PVY and carried either the Ryadg or Rysto resistance gene based on DNA-marker analysis.  In 78% of  crosses at least one parent carried the H1 DNA-marker for golden nematode resistance. Following  2020 field selection 52% of cycle 3 and older clones have been confirmed to carry the Ryadg marker, 4% carry the Rysto marker and 54% carry the H1 marker.  During the 2020 growing season, NC evaluated 15,768 first generation clones selecting roughly 6.5% and 1066 second to fourth generation clones selecting 29.5%. NC also screened 544 clones for adaptation to NC and the Southeastern US from twelve public US breeding programs. In addition to developing improved tetraploid potato varieties, our programs are advancing future potato breeding by participating in national efforts to implement diploid potato breeding.  Diploid potato breeding will simplify the breeding and genetic improvement process.  NY conducted crosses during 2020 to extract diploids from the following selected NY cultivars and clones:  Lamoka, Brodie, Wanetas, Andover, and NY164.  ME continues research on diploid potato breeding by developing primary dihaploid progeny using the IVP48 haploid inducer crossed to tetraploid potato (e.g. Atlantic, Caribou Russet and NY121).  Resulting plant materials were entered into tissue culture for plant maintenance and were screened for dihaploid traits based on seed characteristics and plastid counts.  During 2020, a total of 172 primary dihaploids were identified (Atlantic, 39, Caribou Russet, 51, and NY121, 82).   Greenhouse evaluation of these materials was initiated and 72.5% were able to set tubers under greenhouse conditions.  Field screening of 100 primary dihaploids began in 2020.  Seventy survived and 55 produced tubers under field conditions.  Additionally, whole genome sequencing libraries were generated and Illumina sequencing is being performed. We plan to evaluate the inheritance of late blight and PVY resistance in the NY121 dihaploid population, as well as blackleg and soft rot resistance in the Caribou Russet dihaploid population. In 2020, we induced five elite tetraploid lines using IVP48; Castle Russet, Lamoka, NY121, Dakota Trailblazer and Saginaw Chipper. Seed extraction, germination, tissue culture, and ploidy determination are underway. Disease screening is an important part of potato variety development.  Screening trials in PA evaluated our NE1731 and advanced breeding clones for early blight, late blight, and common scab resistance. ME also conducts screening studies for susceptibility to important potato disease (late blight, common scab, verticillium wilt, soft rot, pink rot, potato virus Y, and potato leafroll virus). These data are used to select resistant varieties/breeding clones.  Disease resistant varieties generated by this project have the potential to greatly reduce growers’ losses to devastating diseases such as late blight and can also reduce production costs.  Through its plant disease research, PA identified candidate genes associated with late blight, early blight and common scab using genome-wide association studies.  The candidate genes were cloned and transferred into disease susceptible varieties.  The transgenic plants were evaluated for disease resistance in field trials in 2020.  A population of 197 diploid clones from a USDA-ARS cross between BD1237-3 (resistant to late blight) and BD1218-5 (susceptible to late blight) were evaluated for resistance to late blight for the second year in PA.  This population was also evaluated for maturity in a separate trial. All clones were genotyped by using the Illumina SolCAP single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array.  Quantitative trait loci or genes governing late blight resistance that are independent of late maturity will be identified. Experiments in ME are being used to identify clones with resistance to pink rot, black leg, and softrot.  Caribou Russet from the Maine breeding program and several diploid clones from USDA-ARS at Beltsville have shown high levels of resistance to blackleg and softrot’s causative organisms, Dickeya dianthicola and Pectobacterium parmentieri.  These clones will be further investigated by genomic mapping.  Dihaploid breeding populations under development in ME will facilitate this process. Field trials were conducted from ME to FL to help select promising potato clones that are worthy of commercialization.  Advanced clones from our project were introduced to growers through field days, presentations, publications, web sites, and direct contact with stakeholders.  Six advanced clones were entered into tissue culture programs during 2020 leading to commercial seed production. Several advanced clones and newly released varieties are currently being evaluated in commercial scale trials on-farm for their potential across the US.  Two of NY’s recent chipping releases Waneta (NY138) and Lamoka (NY139) have been widely adopted by commercial growers.  Based on 2020 certified seed acreage, Lamoka ranks 4th among US varieties in certified seed production (3302 acres) and for the last four years has replaced Snowden (1989 seed acres in 2020) as the standard storage chipping variety across the US. Waneta has also been widely adopted (1341 acres of seed in 2020, 16th ranked in the US) for chipping and fresh market.  We estimate that the annual value of potato chip production from Lamoka and Waneta exceeds one billion dollars (~15% of U.S. chip production).  Lady Liberty, formerly NY152, was released for chipping during 2018 and has high yields, excellent chip color out of cold storage, common scab resistance, and small tuber size profile (which makes it well-suited for highly popular, snack-sized bags of potato chips).  National seed acreage increased to 433 during 2020, ranking it 34th in the U.S. just two years after its official variety release.  Twenty clones from the eastern states have been in the Potatoes USA fast-track chip program since 2011, and the programs supported under this grant have annually contributed up to 40% of clones in the Potatoes USA National Chip Processors Trials (NCPT). For fresh market, NY released Brodie (NY140) during 2018 as a dual-purpose table and chipstock variety with excellent marketable yields, attractive tuber skin and excellent fry color out of cold storage. US seed acreage increased to 57 in 2020, ranking it 92nd nationally.  It is the first U.S. cultivar with resistance to race Ro2 of the golden nematode and it is also resistant to race Ro1.  Ro1 is the long-time golden nematode pest in New York, while Ro2 is a newer race that has become increasingly difficult to manage in New York.   NY also released Upstate Abundance (NY150) and Algonquin (NY141) during 2017. Algonquin seed acreage totaled 31 during 2020, ranking it 120th nationally.  It is being grown for fresh market and is a white skinned, white fleshed variety.  It has high yields and good tuber appearance as well as resistance to common scab and golden nematode.  Upstate Abundance is a specialty white with very small, bright tubers. It has potato virus Y (PVY), late blight, and golden nematode resistance as well as moderate common scab tolerance. It is being commercialized by specialty fresh market growers.  Upstate Abundance seed acreage totaled 46 during 2020, ranking it 99th nationally. The University of Maine released Pinto Gold (AF4659-12) in 2018.  It is a pinto-type, yellow-fleshed ‘roasting’ variety is also being commercialized by small-scale local foods markets and has been favorably received in this high-value market.  Other fresh market releases Red Maria (2010), a high-yielding red, Lehigh (2007), a widely-adapted yellow-fleshed variety, and Peter Wilcox (2007), a novel purple-skinned, yellow-fleshed variety continue to be adopted by fresh market growers.  Lehigh has been quite successful as a fresh market variety due to its high yields and wide adaptation.   Caribou Russet was released by ME during 2015 for fry processing and russet fresh market.  It has been rapidly adopted due to high yields, scab and verticillium resistance, and excellent consumer quality.  Certified seed acreage rose to 1138 acres (#18 in the US) during 2020.  Caribou Russet’s cash farm value to ME seed growers was ~$3.9 M during 2020 and the estimated cash farm value when this seed crop is planted, grown and harvested in 2021 is ~$33.1M . It is also being evaluated and adopted in many other countries around the world.  Hamlin Russet (tested as AF4124-7) was released by ME during 2020 for early fry processing and russet fresh market.  It has moderate scab resistance.  Certified seed acreage rose to 83 acres (#78th in the US) during 2020.  AF5071-2 and AF5406-7 are advanced fry processing clones that are generating commercial interest.  Thirty additional French fry clones are currently being evaluated by North American potato processors.  Reveille Russet from TX just complete testing in NE1731 regional trials and shows promise as a fresh market russet.  It now ranks 33rd in US seed potato production 435 seed acres. Each eastern breeding program submits its most promising advanced clones to the regional project’s seed nursery in ME.  During 2020, the project distributed seed potatoes for 12 regional potato variety trials conducted in seven states and two Canadian provinces.  Eleven standard varieties and 17 experimental clones were tested for yield, tuber quality, and pest resistance. All trials were grown using standard commercial cultural practices. Marketable yield, tuber quality and appearance, maturity, storage life and processing potential were evaluated and compared to commercial standards.   The diverse environmental conditions present in the eastern U.S. allow us to quickly screen potato clones for stress sensitivity as well as broad adaptation and suitability to specific growing areas and markets.  Multi-site evaluation of early-generation clones speeds the breeding and selection process and enables us to identify both broadly- and specifically-adapted clones that will be useful to the U.S. potato industry and potato growers at all scales of production.  Considering yield and quality attributes the most promising clones by market type were: chipping (Lady Liberty,  MSAFB605-4, MSAFB635-15, and NY165); fresh market whites (AF4648-2, and AF5280-5); russet and long-whites (Caribou Russet, Reveille Russet, Hamlin Russet, AF5071-2, and AF5406-7), reds and specialty (Pinto Gold, NDAF113484B-1, and NY149).    Similar variety trials will be conducted during 2021 to further select clones to advance to commercial trials.  Each regional trial site reports results to their local stakeholders and submits their data to the project website coordinator located in NC.  The data are entered into a searchable database so that results are accessible to stakeholders and researchers anywhere in the world. Our project web site and searchable database continues to grow in size and utility.  The database has now migrated to a more powerful and user-friendly Variety Data Management platform (https://neproject.medius.re/).  The web site provides current contact information for project cooperators and recent research reports, as well as access to our regional variety database and a dynamic summary generator for all released varieties. This new database can provide side-by-side comparative data for potato clones and varieties as well as advanced analytical tools.   New varieties and descriptions.   This project seeks, through activities coordinated across many Northeastern states, to develop potato varieties with improved agronomic, disease-resistance, and nutritional characteristics.  Project researchers anticipate that improved potato cultivars will help maintain the viability of rural economies, reduce dependence on pesticides, and contribute substantially toward maintaining a secure, safe and nutritious food supply. Advanced Experimental Potato Clones Showing Particular Promise in 2020 include:   <ul> <li>AF4648-2 (NY132 x Liberator), a mid-season, round to oblong white with good yields, moderately-high gravity, bruise resistance, very good chip color, and good appearance.   It could go for chipping or fresh market.  It has good scab resistance and is resistant to golden nematode and PVY.  It has moderate pink rot and late blight resistance.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>AF5071-2 (AF3011-29 x AF3051-2), a late maturing, russet with good fry quality, fair tuber appearance, and high yields. Specific gravity is higher than Russet Burbank and fry color from storage has been good.  Fry color uniformity is very good. It is moderately susceptible to scab and hollow heart, but has moderate verticillium, blackspot, and shatter resistance.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>AF5280-5 (ND7791C-1 x ND860-2), an early, round to oblong white with good yields, large tubers, moderate-low gravity, good chip color, and good appearance.  It could go for early  fresh market.  It has good scab, bruise, hollow heart, pink rot, fusarium, and golden nematode resistance.  AF5280-5 is a good prospect to replace Superior in eastern markets.</li> <li>AF5406-7 (AF3317-15 x Silverton Russet), a late-maturing russet with good yields, large tubers, and resistance to late blight, scab, blackspot, shatter, verticillium, fusarium, and pink rot.  It will most likely be useful for processing market, but may also work for fresh market.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>MSAFB605-4 (NY148 x MSV241-2), is a late maturing chipper with high yields, moderate to high specific gravity, long dormancy, good chip color, netted skin, and fair tuber appearance. It has resistance to shatter, verticillium, scab, late blight and PVY.  MSAFB605-4 has potential for chipping from northern areas and may be an option for long-term storage.  This clone will be evaluated in the 2021 Potatoes USA National SNAC chipping trials (northern storage areas only).</li> <li>MSAFB635-15 (NYH15-5 x MSS297-3), is a medium-late maturing chipper with, high yields, high specific gravity, good chip color, netted skin, and fair tuber appearance. It has moderate resistance to verticillium, scab, and shatter.  MSAFB635-15 has potential for chipping in both southern and northern areas. This clone will be evaluated in the 2021 Potatoes USA National SNAC chipping trials</li> </ul> <ul> <li>NC470-3 (Marcy X BNC182-5), a round to oblong PVY-resistant (Ryadg) chipper that has late vine maturity.  It has good out-of-field chip color, as well moderate scab and late blight resistance.  Specific gravity is typically within 2 to 4 points of Atlantic.   Marketable yields in NC have averaged 103% of Atlantic and 93% of Snowden. This clone will be evaluated in the 2021 Potatoes USA National SNAC chipping trials</li> </ul> <ul> <li>NDAF113484B-1 (ND060570B-1R x ND8555-8R), a pretty, mid-season, red with bright skin that holds its color well in storage.  It has white flesh and mid-season maturity with moderate scab, shatter, and blackspot resistance). Yields are typically similar to those of Dark Red Norland. </li> </ul> <ul> <li>NY149 (Yukon Gold x Keuka Gold), a yellow-fleshed with pink eyes and moderate to high yields.  NY149 has a smaller tuber size profile than Yukon Gold along with lower incidence of internal and external defects.  It has moderate scab resistance and resistance to golden nematode.</li> <li>NY162 (E106-2 x E48-2), a late-season, moderate to high specific gravity, chip stock clone.  It has round to oblong tubers with a moderately textured skin. Yields have been high in many NY trials and are typically similar to Atlantic.  Specific gravity averages about 0.005 less than Atlantic.  Chip color from storage is very good.  It has low incidence of external defects and relatively low hollow heart incidence (4% across 11 trials). It has moderate scab resistance and is resistant to golden nematode (Ro1).  It is currently being evaluated in Potatoes USA National SNAC chipping trials as an out-of-field chipping clone for southern states.</li> <li>NY163 (E50-8 x E48-2), a medium-late maturing chipping clone with moderate to high specific gravity.  It has round to oblong tubers with a lightly textured skin. Yields have been high in many NY trials and are typically similar to Atlantic.  Specific gravity averages about 0.005 less than Atlantic.  It has exceptionally good chip color from storage and chips well from cold storage.  It has low incidence of external defects and relatively low hollow heart incidence (4% across 11 trials). It has moderate scab resistance and is resistant to golden nematode (Ro1).  It is currently being evaluated in Potatoes USA National SNAC chipping trials throughout the US.</li> <li>NY165 (NY148 x F48-4), a mid-season, moderate to high specific gravity, chip stock clone.  It has round to oblong tubers with slightly netted skin. Yields have been high in many NY trials.  Chip color from storage is very good.  It has very good scab resistance and is resistant to golden nematode (Ro1). </li> </ul>   Short-term Outcomes:   <ol> <li>Eastern potato growers need new potato varieties which are highly productive and less susceptible to stress, diseases, and insects than current varieties. This regional potato breeding and trial network produces new potato varieties and evaluates their potential to serve fresh, processing, and specialty potato markets in the East.  These new varieties will improve grower profitability by increasing yields, enhancing market quality, and/or decreasing costs associated with pests.   Annual farm gate receipts for eastern potato production exceed 460 million dollars, therefore the impact of a successful new potato cultivar can mean many millions of dollars to the industry over time. Potatoes can cost more than $2500 per acre to produce and devastating diseases such as pink rot and/or late blight can totally destroy the crop.  Resistant varieties greatly decrease the risk of losses and, in the case of late blight resistance, can reduce production costs by reducing the number of chemical sprays applied to protect the crop from the pest.  Several areas in NY could not produce potatoes without the golden nematode resistant varieties developed as part of this and other research projects.  Internal heat necrosis (IHN) is a common stress-related defect in the mid-Atlantic and southeastern U.S.  While several of our trial sites help our programs screen for this defect, NC provides an excellent screening site and helps our programs select more stress-tolerant potato varieties.  During 2020, NC screened > 500 advanced and preliminary clones from 11 state and 2 USDA-ARS potato breeding programs for resistance to IHN.  A growth chamber study was also conducted to evaluate early expression of RNA molecules in stressful and non-stressful environments.  The goal of the greenhouse work is to discover genes turned on in relation to IHN prior to visible expression.</li> </ol>   <ol start="2"> <li>Field trials were conducted from ME to FL to help select promising potato clones that are worthy of commercialization. Advanced clones from our project were introduced to growers through field days, presentations, publications, web sites, and direct contact with stakeholders.  Over the years, the eastern regional project has resulted in the release of many commercially important potato varieties (e.g. Atlantic, Andover, Caribou Russet, Harley Blackwell, Keuka Gold, Lady Liberty, Lamoka, Lehigh, Marcy, Pike, Waneta, etc.).  Upstate Abundance, a white-skinned variety from NY with small attractive tubers for the specialty trade; Peter Wilcox, a purple-skinned yellow-fleshed specialty variety from the USDA-ARS program; Pinto Gold, a yellow-flesh, red and yellow skinned specialty variety from ME; Algonquin, a round-white with large attractive tubers from NY; Red Maria, a high yielding, red-skinned variety from NY; and Lehigh, a yellow-fleshed dual-purpose variety from NY, are six relatively recent fresh market releases from the eastern programs.  Several advanced clones and newly released varieties are currently being evaluated in commercial scale trials on-farm for their potential across the US.  Two of NY’s recent chipping releases Waneta (NY138) and Lamoka (NY139) have been widely adopted by commercial growers.  Based on 2020 certified seed acreage, Lamoka ranks 4th among US varieties in certified seed production (3302 acres) and for the last four years has replaced Snowden (1989 seed acres in 2020) as the standard storage chipping variety across the U.S. Waneta has also been widely adopted (1341 acres of seed in 2020, 16th ranked in the US) for chipping and fresh market.  We estimate that the annual value of potato chip production from Lamoka and Waneta exceeds one billion dollars (~15% of U.S. chip production).  Lady Liberty (2018), formerly NY152, was released for chipping and has high yields, excellent chip color out of cold storage, common scab resistance, and small tuber size profile (which makes it well-suited for highly popular, snack-sized bags of potato chips).  National seed acreage increased to 433 during 2020, ranking it 34th in the U.S. just two years after its official variety release.   Twenty clones from the eastern states have been in the Potatoes USA fast-track chip program since 2011, and the programs supported under this grant have annually contributed up to 40% of clones in the Potatoes USA National Chip Processors Trials (NCPT).</li> </ol>   <ol start="3"> <li>Caribou Russet was released by ME during 2015 for fry processing and russet fresh market. It has been rapidly adopted due to high yields, scab and verticillium resistance, and excellent consumer quality.  Certified seed acreage rose to 1138 acres (#18 in the US) during 2020.  Caribou Russet’s cash farm value to ME seed growers was ~$3.9 M during 2020 and the estimated cash farm value when this seed crop is planted, grown, and sold in 2021 is ~$33.1M . It is also being evaluated and adopted in many other countries around the world.  Hamlin Russet (tested as AF4124-7) was released by ME during 2020 for early fry processing and russet fresh market.  It has moderate scab resistance.  Certified seed acreage rose to 83 acres (#78th in the US) during 2020.  AF5071-2 and AF5406-7 are advanced fry processing clones that are generating commercial interest, while 30 additional russeted French fry clones are currently being evaluated by North American potato processors.  Reveille Russet from TX just completed testing in NE1731 regional trials and shows promise as a fresh market russet.  It now ranks 33rd in US seed potato production at 435 acres.</li> </ol>   <ol start="4"> <li>As evidenced above, the advanced clones and releases from the Eastern project continue to be commercially evaluated and adopted by farmers and our industry stakeholders. Recent Eastern releases were grown on 3,432 ME and NY seed acres during 2020 with a seed value of ~$12.0M.  The resulting seed crop had the potential to plant 34,318 acres in 2021 with a ware value estimated at $103.0M.  Nationally, varieties produced by our long-term project were grown on 7316 seed acres during 2020 with an approximate seed value of $25.6M and potential ware production value of $219.5M.  Several varieties developed though our collective efforts are in the top 100 U.S. varieties based on seed acreage, including (acres, rank): Lamoka (3302, 7), Waneta (1341, 16), Caribou Russet (1138, 18), Lady Liberty (433, 34), Lehigh (297, 41), Reba (110, 71), Hamlin Russet (83, 78), Eva (74, 80), Keuka Gold (72, 82), Brodie (57, 92), Andover (52, 95), Pike (50, 96), and Upstate Abundance (46, 99). Atlantic, released in 1971 by USDA-ARS Beltsville and selected by a predecessor of this project, remains the top publically-released, out-of-field chip potato variety in the US (2416 acres, ranks 9th in US).</li> </ol>   <ol start="5"> <li>The project places special emphasis on breeding and selecting clones with resistance to late blight, early blight, scab, golden nematode races Ro1 and Ro2, and potato virus Y (PVY). Advanced clones in our programs typically have resistance to several important potato pests and/or physiological disorders. As examples, Caribou Russet has resistance to verticillium wilt, common scab, soft rot, and powdery scab as well as excellent bruise resistance; Cornell releases typically have golden nematode resistance and scab tolerance, plus many recent releases also have resistance to potato virus Y and late blight; Upstate Abundance (formerly NY150), released by Cornell in 2017, has resistance to late blight, common scab, potato virus Y, and golden nematode;  Brodie (tested as NY140) was released by Cornell University during 2018 and is the first U.S. cultivar with resistance to golden nematode race Ro2 and it is also resistant to race Ro1. Ro1 is the long-time golden nematode pest in NY, while Ro2 is a newer race that has become increasingly difficult to manage in NY.  Golden nematode, a serious pest found in NY and in other countries, cannot be effectively managed without resistant varieties. All NY round whites, and most of the NY colored crosses, segregate for resistance to golden nematode Ro1 or Ro2, as do many crosses from the ME, NC and USDA programs. Marker-assisted selection for potato virus Y (PVY) and golden nematode resistance is now an integral part of our breeding programs. All advanced clones in the ME, NY, and NC potato breeding programs have been tested for the presence of DNA-based markers associated with PVY resistance. Disease screening trials in PA evaluated varieties and advanced breeding clones for early blight, late blight, and common scab resistance. ME also conducts screening studies for susceptibility to important potato diseases. These data are used to select resistant varieties/breeding clones.  Disease resistant varieties generated by this project have the potential to greatly reduce growers’ losses to devastating diseases such as late blight and can also reduce production costs. </li> </ol>   <ol start="6"> <li>In addition to developing improved tetraploid potato varieties, our programs are advancing future potato breeding by participating in national efforts to implement diploid potato breeding. Diploid potato breeding will simplify the breeding and genetic improvement process.  NY conducted crosses during 2020 to extract diploids from the following selected NY cultivars and clones:  Lamoka, Brodie, Wanetas, Andover, and NY164.  ME continues research on diploid potato breeding by developing primary dihaploid progeny using the IVP48 haploid inducer crossed to tetraploid potato (e.g. Atlantic, Caribou Russet, NY121, and several other varieties).  The resulting plant materials have been entered into tissue culture for plant maintenance and were screened for dihaploid traits based on seed characteristics and plastid counts.  During 2020, a total of 172 primary dihaploids were identified.  Greenhouse and field evaluation of these materials has been initiated.  Additionally, whole genome sequencing libraries were generated and Illumina genomic sequencing is being performed.   These populations will be useful for future breeding and for studies on inheritance of important potato diseases, such as late blight, potato virus Y, and soft rot.</li> </ol>   <ol start="7"> <li>Our project web site and searchable database continues to grow in size and utility. The database has now migrated to a more powerful and user-friendly Variety Data Management platform (https://neproject.medius.re/).  The web site provides current contact information for project cooperators and recent research reports, as well as access to our regional variety database and a dynamic summary generator for all released varieties. This new database can provide side-by-side comparative data for potato clones and varieties as well as advanced analytical tools.</li> </ol>  Outputs:   <ol> <li> Cultivars released this year: </li> </ol>   <ul> <li>Hamlin Russet (tested as AF4124-7; pedigree: A8469-5 x SC9512-4) was released by the University of Maine during 2020.  A plant variety protection (PVP) application has been submitted, and it has been licensed by the Maine Potato Board for commercial development.  It is a medium-early maturing russet with good fry quality, fair to good tuber appearance, early sizing, and high yields.  US#1 yields have averaged ~119% of standard russeted varieties (usually Russet Burbank) in Maine trials.  It has a large tuber size profile.  Specific gravity is moderate (average of 1.085 in ME trials) and fry color from storage has been good.  It is moderately resistant to scab and has good blackspot bruise resistance.  It is expected to be most useful for French fry processing from the field and from early- to mid-term storage.  Its primary advantage will be during early harvest where it offers significant advantages over the industry standard, Shepody.  It can also be useful for  russet fresh market use when tuber size is controlled to fit market requirements.</li> </ul>    In addition, commercialization of our recent releases continued as is summarized above.

Publications

Refereed Journal Papers Andrade, M.H.M.L., C.C.F. Filho, M.O. Fernandes, A.J.R. Bastos, M.L. Guedes, T.D.S. Marçal, F.M.A. Gonçalves, C.A.B.P. Pinto, L. Zotarelli. 2020 Accounting for spatial trends to increase the selection efficiency in Potato breeding. Crop Science, 2020:1-19. doi:10.1002/csc2.20226   Christensen, C.T., L. Zotarelli, K.G. Haynes, C.E. Kelly. 2020. The comparative evaluation of the effects of gibberellic acid concentrations on dormancy break in tubers of Solanum chacoense. Horttechnology 20:76-81.  <a href="https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH4448-19">https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH4448-19</a>   De Jong, W.S., D.E. Halseth, R.L. Plaisted, X. Wang, K.L. Perry, X. Qu, K.M. Paddock, M. Falise, B.J. Christ, and G.A. Porter.  2020.  Waneta, a Variety with Excellent Chip Color out of Cold Storage, Long Tuber Dormancy, and Resistance to the Golden Cyst Nematode.  Am J Potato Research published on-line at https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-020-09806-z   Insinga, J.K., Alyokhin, A. Hao, J., Ge, T. Marangoni, N.F. and Baron, A. The potential for Dickeya dianthicola to be vectored by two common insect pests of potatoes. Plant Disease. In print.   Makani, M.N., L. Zotarelli, S.A. Sargent, D.J. Huber, C.A. Sims. 2020. Nitrogen fertilizer rate affects yield and tuber quality of drip-irrigated tablestock potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) grown under subtropical conditions. Am. J. Potato Res. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-020-09809-w   Park J, Hackett  CA, Dandurand  L-M, Wang X, De Jong WS (2019). Mapping QTL for resistance to Globodera rostochiensis pathotype Ro2 and G. pallida pathotype Pa2/3 in autotetraploid potato.  American Journal of Potato Research 96:552-563.   https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-019-09745-4   Published Abstracts Alyokhin, A., Insinga, J. and Hao, J. 2020.  Insect role in transmitting Dickeya dianthicola among potato plants. XXVI International Congress of Entomology, in Helsinki, Finland, July 18-23, 2020.   Andrade. M., L., Gomez-Pesantes, L. Zotarelli, G. England. 2020. Tuber yield and size distribution as function of seed piece spacing for table-stock potatoes. Abstract of Am. Soc. of Horticultural Sciences Annual Meeting. HortScience abstract (in press).   Andrade. M., L., L. Zotarelli.  2020. Comparison of spatial models for potato breeding trials. Abstract of Am. Soc. of Horticultural Sciences Annual Meeting. HortScience abstract (in press).   Bortolozzo, F., R. Mwatuwa, L. Zotarelli, A.L.B.R. Silva, T. Wade. 2020. Potato yield and net return of N-fertilizer rate and timing for seepage and subsurface drain-tile irrigation. Abstract of Am. Soc. of Horticultural Sciences Annual Meeting. HortScience abstract (in press).   Ekbataniamiri, F.,  N.F. Marangoni, T. Ge, S.B. Johnson, R. Larkin, J. Hao. 2020.  Distribution and pathogenicity of Dickeya aquatica causing potato blackleg and soft rot. (Abstr.) Phytopathology 110:S1.33. https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-110-7-S1.27.   Hao,J., T. Ge, X. Zhang, G. Porter, A. Hain. 2020.  Evaluation of Potato Germplasms for Pink Rot Resistance. (Abstr.) Phytopathology 110:S1.32-1.33. https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-110-7-S1.27   Ge,T. S.B. Johnson, R. Larkin, J. Hao. 2020. Genotyping Dickeya dianthicola causing potato blackleg and soft rot in Northeastern America for inferring the source of inoculum. (Abstr.) Phytopathology 110:S1.32. https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-110-7-S1.27.   Gomez-Pesantes, L. Zotarelli, G. England. 2020.  Tuber yield and size distribution as function of seed piece spacing for table-stock potatoes. Abstract of Am. Soc. of Horticultural Sciences Annual Meeting. HortScience abstract (in press).   Li, K.,  Y. Wang, S.B. Johnson, R. Larkin, A. Smart, J. Hao.  2020.  Efficacy and resistance risk of Aprovia and Elatus in controlling Verticillium dahliae. (Abstr.) Phytopathology 110:S1.32. https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-110-7-S1.27.   Other Publications (Book Chapters) Bonierbale MW, Amoros WR, Salas E, De Jong W (2020) Potato Breeding.  In: The Potato Crop.  H Campos and O Ortiz, Eds.  Springer, Cham, Switzerland. pp 163-217.  https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28683-5_6   Other Publications (Refereed Proceedings) Da Silva, A.L.B.R., L. Zotarelli, M.D. Dukes, S. Asseng, E. van Santen, S. Agehara. 2020. Irrigation methods and nitrogen fertilizer application strategies for potato. 6th Decennial National Irrigation Symposium.    Other Publications Brown Donovan, K.  2020.  Assessing Pyramiding in Potato for Disease Resistance Breeding.  University of Maine, PhD dissertation.  103 pp.   Chesley, A.  and J. Hao. 2020. Resistance of Phytophthora erythroseptica to oxathiapiprolin and its potential risk. 2020 University of Maine Student Symposium. #814. Online conference.   Clough, M. and G.C. Yencho.  North Carolina Potato Variety Trial and Breeding Report 2020.  52 pp.   Ekbataniamiri, F., N.F. Marangoni, T. Ge, S.B. Johnson, R. Larkin, J. Hao. 2020 Distribution and pathogenicity of Dickeya aquatica causing potato blackleg and soft rot. Annual Meeting of Northeastern Division of American Phytopathological Society. The Northampton Hotel, Northampton, MA, Mar. 11-13, 2020.   Ekbataniamiri, F.  T. Ge, S.B. Johnson, R. Larkin, J. Hao. 2020. Investigating surface water in association with potato blackleg and soft rot. Annual Meeting of the Potato Association of America, Online, July 19-23, 2020.   Ge, T.  S.B. Johnson, R. Larkin, J. Hao. 2020 Genotyping Dickeya dianthicola causing potato blackleg and soft rot in Northeastern America for inferring the source of inoculum. Annual Meeting of Northeastern Division of American Phytopathological Society. The Northampton Hotel, Northampton, MA, Mar. 11-13, 2020.   Hain, A.  T. Ge, X. Zhang, G. Porter, J. Hao. 2020.  Evaluation of Potato Germplasms for Pink Rot Resistance. Annual Meeting of Northeastern Division of American Phytopathological Society. The Northampton Hotel, Northampton, MA, Mar. 11-13, 2020.   Hao, J. 2020.  Management of powdery scab and mop top of potato. 33rd Maine Potato Conference, Caribou Inn, ME. Jan. 22-23, 2020.   Kleinhenz, M.D., S.D. Walker, M.A. Spigos. 2020. 2020 Ohio potato germplasm evaluation report, in Cooperation with the Northeast (NE-1731) Regional Project, The Ohio State University Horticulture and Crop Science Series No. 880, Nov. 2020. 72 pp.   Li, K., Y. Wang, S.B. Johnson, R. Larkin, A. Smart, J. Hao. 2020.  Efficacy and resistance risk of Aprovia and Elatus in controlling Verticillium dahliae. Annual Meeting of Northeastern Division of American Phytopathological Society. The Northampton Hotel, Northampton, MA, Mar. 11-13, 2020.   Porter, G.A., P. Ocaya, B. MacFarline, and B. Plummer.  2019.  Potato variety trial results in Maine, 2019 growing season.   SFA Research Report (posted on www and distributed to industry), 2019-01, 39 pp. Also available at https://potatoes.ncsu.edu/NEReports.html   Porter, G.A. and P. Ocaya.  2020.  Progress report on potato variety development research - 2019 Growing Season.  Report to the Maine Potato Board, submitted February 2020, 8 pp.   Porter, G.A. and P. Ocaya.  2020.  Progress report on Maine potato breeding program – 2019 growing season.   Report to the Maine Potato Board, submitted February 2020, 12 pp.           Qu XS, Xue WY, Peck MW.  2020.   Evaluation of potato cultivars and breeding lines for resistance to late blight, 2019.  Plant Disease Management Reports 14: V015.   Qu XS, Xue WY, Peck MW.  2020.  Evaluation of potato cultivars and breeding lines for resistance to early blight, 2019.  Plant Disease Management Reports 14: V016.   Qu XS, Xue WY, Peck MW.  2020. Evaluation of potato cultivars and breeding lines for resistance to common scab, 2019.  Plant Disease Management Reports 14: V113.   PRESENTATIONS (INCLUDE DATES): Clough, M. and C. Yencho. 2019 Annual grower update - Pasquotank Regional Potato Grower Meeting Dec 17th 2019   Clough, M. 2020.  Promising varieties in the mid-Atlantic- Eastern Shore Vegetable EXPO  Feb. 6, 2020   Clough, M. and C. Hopkins. 2020.  Growing Potatoes in North Carolina.  Mar. 13, 2020   De Jong, W.S. 2019.  Most promising Potatoes 2019, 18 December 2019, Canandaigua NY.   De Jong, W.S. 2020.  Update on Cornell Chip Breeding, 20 February 2020, Western NY Grower-Processor Meeting, Hornell NY.   Porter, G.A. and P. Ocaya.  2020.  Progress report on new potato variety research - 2019 Growing Season.  Report to the Maine Potato Board, Presque Isle, ME.  March 10, 2020.   Porter, G.A., P. Ocaya, and K. Brown.  2020.  Progress report on Maine potato breeding program – 2019 growing season.   Report to the Maine Potato Board, Presque Isle, ME. March 10, 2020.                Porter, G.A.  2020.  Caribou Russet Management.  Presentation at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Potato Conference, Caribou, ME. January 23, 2020.   Porter, G.A., P. Ocaya, and K. Brown.  2020.  Progress report on potato variety research and potato breeding at the University of Maine - 2019 Growing Season.  Report to the NE1731 Eastern Regional Technical Committee, Beltsville, MD.  January 6-7, 2020.   Qu, X.S.  2020.  2019 Potato Trials in Pennsylvania and Promising Varieties; Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention, Hershey, PA, January 30, 2020.   Zotarelli, L. and M.W. Clark. 2020. Ag Water: Alternative irrigation methods to seepage. 2020 Virtual Ag BMP Summit, Gainesville, FL. (broadcast statewide). 05/09/2020.   Zotarelli, L. 2020. Nitrogen and irrigation management for potato – Summary of Research Findings – Presentation to the North Florida Growers Exchange Meeting. 09/21/2020.   Zotarelli, L. 2020. Potato and broccoli breeding programs focus on improved varieties for eastern USA. Original title: “Melhoramento genético de batata e brócolis para a Costa Leste dos Estados Unidos”. I Workshop Internacional sobre Melhoramento Genético e Produção de Sementes de Hortaliças. Embrapa Hortaliças, Brasilia, Brazil. Virtual Meeting. 11/16/2020.   Zotarelli, L. 2020. Nitrogen and irrigation management for potato – Summary of Research Findings – Presentation to the Univ. of Florida / IFAS - Plant Nutrient Oversight Committee Meeting. 11/17/2020.   TOURS, FIELD DAYS, TRADES SHOWS (INCLUDE DATES): Clough, M.  Potato EXPO Jan 14 – 16th 2020   Clough, M. NCSU/Black Gold Farms Show and Tell, Gum Neck NC, May 26th, 2020   Porter, G.A. and P. Ocaya.   2020.  Maine potato breeding program.  University of Maine Cooperative Extension Potato Conference, Caribou, ME. January 23 and 24, 2020.   Porter, G.A. 2020.  Potato breeding, variety development, and management research update.  Field day presentation  to the Maine Potato Board, Presque Isle, ME.  July 22, 2020.   Qu, X.S.  2019.  Potato Field Day and Variety Demonstration Trial, Erie County, PA, October 1, 2019   Qu, X.S.  2020.  Potato Field Day and Variety Demonstration Trial, Lehigh County, PA, September 28, 2020   WEB-BASED REPORTS: North Carolina Potato Variety Trial and Breeding Report 2020 (https://potatoes.ncsu.edu/pdf/NC20POTRPT.pdf)   North Carolina NE1731 2020 report (https://potatoes.ncsu.edu/NE1014reports/NorthCarolina20.pdf)   Porter, G.A., P. Ocaya, B. MacFarline, and B. Plummer.  2019.  Potato variety trial results in Maine, 2019 growing season.   SFA Research Report (posted on www and distributed to industry), 2019-01, 39 pp. Also available at https://potatoes.ncsu.edu/NEReports.html   Qu, X.S.  Pennsylvania Potato Research Report, 2019 (https://plantpath.psu.edu/research/areas/plant-disease-management/penn-state-potato-research-program/pennsylvania-potato-research-reports/pennsylvania-potato-research-report-2019)   NEWSPAPER, READIO, TELEVISION MEDIA ARTICLES (INCLUDE DATES): Porter, G.A. 2020.  WAGM-TV, Presque Isle, ME. Appeared on “Potato Picker’s Special” and was interviewed by Robert Grimm and Shawn Cunningham, September 24, 2020.  “Potato breeding and variety development."

Impact Statements

Date of Annual Report: 02/20/2022

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 12/13/2021 - 12/14/2021
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2020 - 09/30/2021

Participants

Craig Yencho (NC State), Mark Clough (NC State), Walter De Jong (Cornell U), Greg Porter (U ME), Han Tan (U ME), Mark Hutton (U ME), Paul Collins (USDA-ARS Orono, ME), Mark Reiter (VA Tech), Emmanuel Torres Quezada (VA Tech), Xinshun Qu (PA State), Luis Duque (PA State), Matt Kleinhenz (OH State), Marcio Resende (U FL), Leo Hoffman (U FL), Chris Hopkins (Black Gold), Jonathan Price (Sterman Masser Farms), John Lundeen (Potatoes USA), Bob Leiby (PA Coop Potato Growers), Daniel Yoder (Johnny’s Selected Seeds), David DeKoeyer (AAFC Fredericton, NB), Erica Fava (AAFC Fredericton, NB), Mitchell Smith (NB Dept Ag).

Brief Summary of Minutes

Project Business

Greg Porter welcomed the group and called the meeting to order at 1:01 PM. The 2020 minutes (from the December 2020 meeting) were unanimously approved. The agenda was reviewed and additions and proposed changes to the agenda were requested. Introductions took place and committee chairs were appointed as follows: Resolutions – Walter De Jong and Mark Clough.

The group discussed site selection for the 2022 annual technical meeting – For two years running, we planned to have an in-person meeting in Raleigh, NC, and for two years running, have met over zoom instead because of the coronavirus pandemic. Porter suggested we try once again for an in-person meeting in Raleigh on Dec 12-13, 2022. All agreed.

The group discussed nominations for project officers – We have had a static leadership committee for many years (Porter, chair; Yencho, vice-chair; De Jong, secretary). Porter will be retiring in 2023, necessitating change. To ensure continuity during the year of the project re-write, committee will remain unchanged for 2022, with the expectation that one or more new officers be appointed at the next annual meeting.

Administrative Advisor Report – Mark Hutton. Going forward, NERA, rather than NIFA, will be assuming primary oversight of northeast regional projects. This will include a mid-cycle review of all 5 year projects after 3 years. AA Hutton would like to nominate NE1731 for a national multistate award. Hutton relayed a story of how, at the recent Maine Potato Blossom Festival event in northern Maine that was attended by the President of the University of Maine, a grower approached the President and said “I’d like you to know that the potato variety Caribou Russet saved my farm”. This was an excellent testimonial on the impact of our collective research effort.

Regarding the NE1731 project rewrite: we need to write a proposal, submit to Hutton by late January. He will review, and if satisfactory, submit to NE Multistate Committee for their approval.

National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Report – Tom Bewick. Bewick tried to join our zoom meeting, but was denied entry without a passcode. He emailed to ask for the code, but we didn’t notice until many hours later. We apologize!

Research presentations

Han Tan provided on update of the SCRI diploid potato project, a national effort to reinvent potato as an inbred diploid crop. KASP markers linked to the Sli locus have now been published. 50 dihaploids have been sequenced to date (20x coverage) to assess genetic diversity captured to date; surprising is that chromosome 10 has much less diversity than the other 11 chromosomes. Agronomically improved inbreds are being developed through recurrent selection. Clone W2x001-22-45 is homozygous for (earlier) maturity and Sli loci, making it a useful parent. Agronomic and economic studies are underway to evaluate future impact(s) of true potato seed (TPS) in the commercial potato seed system.

State Site Reports

FL – According to USDA-NASS, potato acreage was 21,000 acres in 2021, producing 5,300,000 cwt. Growing conditions were fair. There was one freeze event during 2021, which did not affect crop development.

The “Clean Waterways Act”, created to overcome environmental issues related to the pollution of waterways, was signed into law in 2021. This act requires UF/IFAS (and other agencies) to develop annual research planning focused on agricultural runoff. This means that potato growers enrolled in BMP programs must follow UF/IFAS nutrient management recommendations. UF/IFAS has released N-fertilizer guidelines for potatoes based on tuber yield goals and is currently working on an update of P-fertilizer recommendations.

ME – estimated 55,500 acres for 2021, up about 5000 from 2020, likely because yields were low the past few years and contracted acres increased in response. Yields in 2021 were up, though, to 330-340 cwt/acre, from 269 cwt/acre in 2020. Industry about 60% fry and chips, 20% fresh, 20% seed.

NY – estimated 13,000 acres. USDA-NASS no longer reports potato acreage for NY. Similar to ME, abundant rainfall during tuber bulking increased yields in NY.

NC – currently has about 13,000 acres of potatoes, which will likely be less in 2022 due to cost of inputs and contract prices. Industry still about 70/30 - chip/table. Over Memorial Day weekend various trial locations received 7 to 15 inches of rain, with attendant consequences. At the Tidewater station flooding damaged 1/3 of the crop.

OH – USDA-NASS reporting changed after 2017, to the extent that acreage data is unreliable for all OH vegetables. OH has a few large chip growers and many small fresh market growers. B-sized potatoes are of increasing interest for some growers.

PA – Estimated 5000 acres. High yields in 2021, although better in southeast than north. Seeing some soft rot issues.

VA – estimated 3000 acres, based on own assessment (as in OH, NASS acreage data is not reliable). 45% chip/55% fresh market. Poor weather prevented harvest of regional yield trial, with rot evident in field.

NB – Good growing season, 52,000 acres, 60% planted to processing potatoes. Wet weather in fall may lead to problems in potato storages.

Comments from Industry

John Lundeen (Research Director for Potatoes USA) provided an overview on potatoes USA research programs. In 2022 MD will start hosting a National Chip Processing Trial, to provide additional assessment of susceptibility to internal heat necrosis. For the National Fry Processing Trial: there is increasing industry emphasis on traits related to sustainability (e.g., water use efficiency).

Jonathan Price: commented that if eastern packers can purchase and re-pack higher quality potatoes grown out west, they will do so rather than pack lower quality potatoes grown in the east. In other words: high potato quality matters more than geographic origin.

Daniel Yoder: noted that there is an overall boom in the vegetable seed industry (not just potatoes). Johnny’s only sells fresh market vegetable seed, with a preference for unique/specialty varieties. Specialty potato varieties that store well are of particular interest.

Chris Hopkins: smaller chip potatoes are needed by industry, but not at the cost of reducing overall yield. The ability to grow with less water and nitrogen is increasingly important.

Pathology Reports

Greg Porter recently emailed results from his ME common scab trial and reminded us that colleague Jay Hao is willing to screen clones for resistance to pink rot (in the field), soft rot (in the lab), and blackleg (in both greenhouse and field).

Xinshun Qu emailed the results of early and late blight testing from PA, as well as common scab trial results, before the meeting began. He has also started to evaluate transgenic potatoes, expressing candidate genes for resistance against early blight, late blight, and common scab, and initial results are promising.

Erica Fava reported that while growing conditions were good in NB, scab pressure was low in her test plot. NY165 exhibited the most resistance of any clone in her 2021 trial, better than Hindenburg. AAFC is currently negotiating for a new MOU with CFIA to test for resistance to wart.

Breeding/Genetics Reports

Maine. Planted 42,000 single-hills, saved 2%. Are currently genotyping 192 third year clones each year to construct a training population for genomic selection. Two clones entering SNAC trials in 2022: MSAFB609-12 will be tested in Northern SNAC trails while MSAFB635-15 will be tested at both Northern and Southern SNAC sites. Hamlin Russet, released in 2020, is being adopted in the West, thanks to NFPT trials; it had not garnered interest in the East. The red clone NDAF113484B-1, a breeder’s choice selection in 2021, is moving towards commercialization; more attractive skin and better cooking quality than Dark Red Norland. AF5280-5, a round white, performed well in most trials in 2021; competes well with Superior and is tolerant to pink rot and resistant to golden nematode. It is also moving towards commercialization. Breeder’s choices for 2022 are AF6194-4 (round white), AF6289-2 (red), and MSAFB635-15 (chip).

New York. After the longest harvesting and grading season in memory, the program intends to reduce its footprint in 2022, in part by increasing threshold for fry color out of 43F cold storage (old standard: as light as Snowden. New standard: lighter than Snowden), and in part by discarding more clones that are susceptible to PVY (where markers are used to screen for resistance in third-year clones). Most promising clones currently in program are NY163 (lightest fry color of any clone yet developed at Cornell) and five offspring from a cross between NY148 and E48-2. All five have shown high yield, high specific gravity, and excellent fry color from cold storage. One of those five, NY168, as well as NY163, will be in SNAC trials in 2022. Breeder’s choices are NY163 and NY171 (long white with purple splash around tuber eyes).

North Carolina. Craig Yencho provided an overview of both the sweet potato and potato breeding programs he oversees. As clonally propagated crops, the two programs have many parallels. 106,000 acres of sweet potatoes in NC, and about 13000 acres of potatoes. For potatoes, they plant in March and harvest in June/July. Focus is on breeding for heat tolerance, PVY resistance, and implementation of genomic selection. Both the potato and sweet potato programs are moving to multi-hill plots (rather than single-hill plots) in the first field year, to provide both more meaningful assessment of clone performance and accelerate seed production for subsequent years (for surviving clones). To date have genotyped 471 potato clones as a training population for genomic selection.

USDA-ARS. Paul Collins started as the new USDA breeder in January 2021 and is based on the U ME campus in Orono. Currently aims to plant 30,000 seedlings a year, with about 10% being diploid. Will continue predecessor Kathy Hayne’s efforts to improve heart tolerance. In collaboration with Michigan State University, evaluated yield of 12 diploids (products of recurrent selection at MSU) in MI and ME. Found three that yielded more (Tukey’s HSD) than the tetraploid checks Atlantic and Lamoka. Randomized complete block design, 3 replicates, 25 hill plots.

AAFC. David DeKoeyer is the new breeder in Fredericton. Program is undergoing a revamp, aiming to breed better varieties faster. Have recently begun to place a much larger emphasis on French fry varieties. AAFC runs variety trials all across Canada and is shifting to digital image analysis, an optical grader, and PotatoBase to modernize phenotyping and data storage, analysis, and management. Are using molecular markers to select for PVY, PVX and golden nematode resistance, and inoculations to screen for resistance to Fusarium and late blight. Have genotyped about 840 clones to date as a training population for genomic selection.

Florida. The University of Florida has started a potato breeding program. The focus is on chipping potatoes adapted to FL (heat tolerant, high gravity). The program has requested clones from other potato breeders to use as parents, and have been pleasantly surprised that others are happy to share germplasm (this is not the case in many other crops). U FL has provided funding for a new single-row harvester and a PhD student, who will start next fall, focusing on genomic selection. Currently using breeding program simulation software developed by John Hickey (AlphaSimR) to test various ideas of how to run the new program.

Update on the NE1731 website/database/data reporting. Mark Clough briefly walked us through some features of the NE1731 database hosted at neproject.medius.re. Comparing candidate varieties to standards is so simple now!

Seed orders, shopping list, new entries – Greg emailed all participants a list of 27 test clones and 11 standard varieties to be considered for evaluation. Yields were good in 2021, so seed supplies are abundant.

Breeder’s choices (all sites must evaluate these):

AF6194-4 (round white)

AF6289-2 (red)

MSAFB635-15 (chip)

NY163 (chip)

NY171 (long white with purple splash)

Standard varieties to include in all NE1731 trials:

Atlantic

Dark Red Norland

Snowden

Superior

Yukon Gold

Eastern Region Potato Special Grant. Potato Special Grant was funded for 2021. As this is now awarded for two years at a time, no need to submit a proposal in 2022.

NE1731 project rewrite. We have been approved to submit a new multistate project proposal. Our proposal from five years ago has been emailed to many participants; updates requested by January 6. The group discussed the general project approach, rewrite process, and plans/goals for the next five-year period.

New funding opportunities. No new opportunities were discussed this year.

Old Business. Soon after the conclusion of this meeting we need to submit annual report and minutes; please provide input promptly when requested.

New Business. Consistent scoring of flesh and skin color would be facilitated by using widely available “paint chip” color cards. Kleinhenz has started to do this in Ohio, encourages others to consider same.

Committee Reports

Site Selection: next meeting will be in Raleigh NC, December 12-13, 2022. Coronavirus willing. Otherwise zoom, yet again.

Nominations: current committee will continue (Porter as Chair, Clough as deputy Chair, De Jong as secretary). Intent is to reformulate committee at next annual meeting.

Resolutions (approved unanimously):

Be it resolved on this 14th day of December 2021, that the NE1731 group expresses sincere appreciation to:

a) Mark Clough and Craig Yencho, North Carolina State University, for organizing this meeting and their willingness to host the meeting (yet again, third time in a row) next year;

b) Tom Bewick, USDA-NIFA, for his leadership in providing, maintaining, and administering NIFA funding of agricultural research;

c) Paul Ocaya and other members of the University of Maine technical and professional staff for their extensive efforts planting, rogueing, sampling, harvesting, packing, and shipping seed potatoes from the NE1731 seed potato nursery;

d) Mark Clough of North Carolina State University for his on-going database management and electronic data capture efforts on behalf of the NE1731 project;

e) Greg Porter, University of Maine; Craig Yencho, North Carolina State University; and Walter De Jong, Cornell University for continuing to serve their NE1731 project leadership roles;

f) Mark Hutton for his willingness to serve as our administrative advisor and provide timely and important information for the project;

g) John Lundeen (Potatoes USA), Jonathan Price (Sterman Masser Potato Farms) , Bob Leiby (PA Cooperative Potato Growers, Inc.), Daniel Yoder (Johnny’s Selected Seeds) and Chris Hopkins (Black Gold Farms) for their insights into the industry and the value of the project;

h) Han Tan for serving as a liaison to our group for the Potato 2.0 project as they attempt to move potato breeding into a diploid format.

Other Business – none. Adjournment – 11:47 am on 14December 2021.

Minutes Attachment:

NE1731 Report 2021 APPENDIX D.pdf

Accomplishments

This multidisciplinary, regional project utilizes the potato breeding and variety development expertise in the eastern US to breed, select, and develop new potato varieties for growers at all scales of production.  It encourages the pooling of regional resources and promotes increased communication within the potato community located in the northeast, mid-Atlantic and southeast. The overarching goal of this project is to identify new potato varieties for use in the Northeastern, mid-Atlantic and southeast US, which will contribute to a more sustainable and profitable potato industry. Many major US varieties, including Atlantic (the dominant out-of-field chipping variety in the US), Lamoka and Waneta (dominant out-of-storage chipping varieties in the US), and Caribou Russet (a popular and extensively-grown new russeted variety) are products of this coordinated eastern potato breeding and variety development effort. This regional project has: 1) allowed potato breeders to share breeding materials and trial results; 2) facilitated potato germplasm selection and evaluation under diverse environmental conditions in the eastern US; 3) given research and extension personnel the opportunity to evaluate new selections from several potato breeding programs; 4) facilitated regional germplasm screening for specific characteristics at a single location (e.g. early blight, late blight, and common scab resistance in PA; scab and virus resistance in ME; nematode resistance in NY); 5) developed variety profiles and cultural recommendations for potato selections that enter commercial production; and 6) resulted in the release and adoption of many important US potato cultivars .  Potato breeding for improved quality and pest resistance was conducted in ME, NY, NC, and USDA-ARS Beltsville, MD during 2021.  During 2021, our programs generated 768 new tetraploid families (366,057 seeds) from crosses using parents with desirable quality, utilization, adaptation, and/or pest resistance traits. Progeny (65,511) from earlier crosses were field selected resulting in 2031 clones that will be further evaluated during 2022 under conditions with diverse abiotic and biotic stress in the eastern U.S. and beyond.  These four programs focus on specific pest and marketing issues, so that regional resources are used efficiently.  For example, ME is the only breeding program in the region which focuses on russets and long whites for processing (50% russets, 40% fresh and chipping whites, 10% reds and specialty varieties).  ME also emphasizes research on late blight, pink rot, potato virus Y, soft rot, and scab resistance. During 2021, 269 ME crosses were made resulting 117,068 true seed for future selection and variety development. During the 2021 growing season ME evaluated 42,000 first-year generation clones selecting 850 (~ 2%) and 1259 second-year clones selecting 239(~19%).  The selected clones will continue evaluation during 2022.  NY emphasizes white-skinned chipping crosses, but also selects fresh market clones of varying skin and flesh colors.  NY emphasizes resistance to golden nematode, but also is crossing for late blight, virus, white cyst nematode, and other resistances. All advanced NY clones were evaluated for resistance to the golden nematode during 2021 using an established bioassay.  NY continues to select for improved chip quality from cold storage.  For the fourth consecutive year, all NY chipping clones were screened for ability to chip from 43F storage.  This increases selection pressure to further drive chip germplasm improvements for long-term storage chip quality.  Beginning in 2021/2022, the NY selection strategy will be to retain only chipping clones that chip better than Snowden from cold storage.  Over time this will result in the release of new varieties with improved long-term storage chip quality.  During 2021, 72 NY crosses resulted 142,250 true seed for future selection and variety development.  NY evaluated 1,680 first-year clones during 2021 selecting 104 (~ 6%) and 1162 second-year clones selecting 250(~22%).  Twenty-five advanced NY clones were evaluated in on-farm trials in NY during 2021.   NY continues to conduct crosses using germplasm from outside of North America (e.g. Barbara, Gui Valley, Kameraz, Libertas, Nautilus, Rose Valley, Symfonia, Vida) to broaden the program’s overall genetic base.    NC’s potato breeding program focuses on heat-stress tolerance and resistance to internal heat necrosis.   In NC all crosses have pedigrees where either one or both parents has shown good adaptation for heat stress in the form of internal heat necrosis resistance as well as solids accumulation, tuber set and/or tuber bulking. During 2021, 156 crosses resulted in 81,408 true seed. During the 2021 growing season NC evaluated 9,905 first generation clones selecting 630 (~6.4%) and 1028 second generation clones selecting 484 (47.1%).  NC screened its 1028 2nd field year clones for the presence of DNA-based markers associated with potato virus Y (Ryadg or Rysto) and golden nematode resistance (H1).  The 2021 screening results showed that 276 (27%) carry the Ryadg marker, 37 (4%) carry the Rysto marker and 423 (54%) carry the H1 marker.  NC also screened 518 clones from twelve public US breeding programs for heat tolerance and adaptation to NC and the Southeastern US.  In addition to NC, PA is now screening all ME 3rd and 4th year russet clones (78 during 2021) to help select for improved heat tolerance in our russet selections.  FL initiated potato breeding during 2021 that will further strengthen our region’s efforts to create heat-tolerant potato germplasm with adaptation to the Southeastern US. In addition to developing improved tetraploid potato varieties, our programs are advancing future potato breeding by participating in national efforts to implement diploid potato breeding.  Diploid potato breeding will simplify the breeding and genetic improvement process.  USDA-ARS conducted 25 successful 2x-2x diploid crosses resulting in 2493 seeds for future research as well as two 4x-2x crosses resulting in 159 seeds for future research.  NY has used pollination with IVP101 to generate candidate dihaploids from Brodie, Andover, and NY164 and these have now been grown out for further evaluation.  ME continues research on diploid potato breeding by developing primary dihaploid progeny using the IVP48 haploid inducer crossed to tetraploid potato (e.g. Atlantic, Caribou Russet, NY121, and five other tetraploid clones).  ME currently has 436 primary dihaploid lines in tissue culture.  These lines are being phenotyped by chloroplast counting and other methods.  During 2021, 99 primary dihaploids derived from Caribou Russet (ME03), NY121 (ME04), Castle Russet (ME05), Saginaw Chipper (ME06), Dakota Trailblazer (ME07) and Lamoka (ME08) were planted in the field to assess plant growth and tuber quality. Selected individuals will be used for crosses to a male-fertile diploid parent in order to restore male fertility as well as to introduce self-compatibility. In 2021, selected dihaploids from the previous year were crossed the diploid clone, W2x001-22-45 that harbors the dominant, Sli-based self-incompatibility inhibitor gene as well as, US-W4 which also contains a Sli-based inhibitor. Eight primary dihaploid lines were chosen as parents, but only line ME03_0042 successfully produced fruit.  All F1 seeds from the successful crosses were sown but only crosses to W2x001-22-45 germinated. These F1 seedlings were transplanted in 2” pots for minituber production. Genetic studies are currently underway to assess potato blackleg and soft rot disease (PBSR) resistance in the ME03 primary dihaploid population, derived from Caribou Russet. Preliminary data show that a number of ME03 primary dihaploid lines have promising resistance levels when inoculated with the PBSR-causing pathogen, Dickeya dianthicola. Further phenotyping and linkage mapping analyses are planned for 2022. Disease screening is an important part of potato variety development.  Disease resistant varieties generated by this project have the potential to greatly reduce growers’ losses to devastating diseases such as late blight and can also reduce production costs.  Screening trials in PA, evaluated our NE1731 and advanced breeding clones for early blight, late blight, and common scab resistance. During 2021, ME also conducted screening studies for susceptibility to important potato diseases (late blight, common scab, verticillium wilt, soft rot, pink rot, fusarium, potato virus Y, and potato leafroll virus). These data are used to select resistant varieties/breeding clones.  NY’s long-term effort at increasing the frequency of PVY resistance in its germplasm is bearing fruit.  Eight of the 11 most advanced clones in the program carry a marker that is tightly linked to the Ryadg gene for PVY resistance.  All advanced NY clones are field screened for common scab resistance, while all are also screened for golden nematode resistance (via bioassay) and PVY resistance (via DNA-based marker).  All 2nd year NC clones are screened for the presence or absence of PVY resistance genes (Ryadg and Rysto) as well as for golden nematode resistance (via the H1 DNA-based marker).  As noted earlier 27, 4, and 41% tested positive for the respective resistance markers during 2021.  ME also uses these DNA-based markers to select and advance PVY and golden nematode resistance potato germplasm.  Through its plant disease research, PA has identified candidate genes associated with late blight, early blight and common scab using genome-wide association studies.  The candidate genes were cloned and transferred into disease susceptible varieties.  The transgenic plants were evaluated for disease resistance in field trials during 2021.  Experiments in ME are being used to identify clones with resistance to pink rot, fusarium, black leg, and softrot.  Caribou Russet from the Maine breeding program and several diploid clones from USDA-ARS at Beltsville have shown high levels of resistance to blackleg and softrot’s causative organisms, Dickeya dianthicola and Pectobacterium parmentieri.  These clones will be further investigated by genomic mapping.  Dihaploid breeding populations under development in ME will facilitate this process. Field trials were conducted from ME to FL to help select promising potato clones that are worthy of commercialization.  Advanced clones from our project were introduced to growers through field days, presentations, publications, web sites, and direct contact with stakeholders.  Eleven advanced clones were entered into tissue culture programs during 2021 leading to commercial seed production. Several advanced clones and newly released varieties are currently being evaluated in commercial scale trials on-farm for their potential across the US.  Two of NY’s recent chipping releases Waneta (NY138) and Lamoka (NY139) have been widely adopted by commercial growers.  Based on 2021 certified seed acreage, Lamoka ranks 8th among US varieties in certified seed production (3108 acres) and has replaced Snowden (1874 seed acres in 2021) as the standard storage chipping variety across the US. Waneta has also been widely adopted (1511 acres of seed in 2021, 15th ranked in the US) for chipping and fresh market.  We estimate that the annual value of potato chip production from Lamoka and Waneta exceeds one billion dollars (~15% of U.S. chip production).  Lady Liberty, formerly NY152, was released for chipping during 2018 and has high yields, excellent chip color out of cold storage, potato virus Y and common scab resistance.  National seed acreage increased to 629 during 2021, ranking it 31th in the U.S. just three years after its official variety release.  Twenty-three clones from the eastern states have been in the Potatoes USA fast-track chip program since 2011, and the programs supported under this grant have annually contributed up to 40% of clones in the Potatoes USA National Chip Processors Trials (NCPT). Caribou Russet was released by ME during 2015 for fry processing and russet fresh market.  It has been rapidly adopted due to high yields, scab and verticillium resistance, and excellent consumer quality.  Certified seed acreage rose to 1476 acres (#16 in the US) during 2021.  Caribou Russet’s cash farm value to ME seed growers was ~$4.4 M during 2021 and the estimated cash farm value when this seed crop is planted, grown and harvested in 2022 is ~$41M. It is also being evaluated and adopted in many other countries around the world.  Hamlin Russet (tested as AF4124-7) was released by ME during 2020 for early fry processing and russet fresh market.  It has moderate scab resistance.  Certified seed acreage rose to 90 acres (81st in the US) during 2021.  AF5071-2 and AF5406-7 are advanced fry processing clones that are generating commercial interest.  Thirty additional French fry clones are currently being evaluated by North American potato processors.  Reveille Russet from TX recently completed testing in NE1731 regional trials and shows promise as a fresh market russet.  It now ranks 23rd in US seed potato production 868 seed acres. For fresh market, NY released Brodie (NY140) during 2018 as a dual-purpose table and chipstock variety with excellent marketable yields, attractive tuber skin and excellent fry color out of cold storage. US seed acreage was 42 in 2020, ranking it 118nd nationally.  It is the first U.S. cultivar with resistance to race Ro2 of the golden nematode and it is also resistant to race Ro1.  Ro1 is the long-time golden nematode pest in New York, while Ro2 is a newer race that has become increasingly difficult to manage in New York.   NY also released Upstate Abundance (NY150) and Algonquin (NY141) during 2017. Algonquin seed acreage totaled 51 during 2021, ranking it 111th nationally.  It is being grown for fresh market and is a white skinned, white fleshed variety.  It has high yields and good tuber appearance as well as resistance to common scab and golden nematode.  Upstate Abundance is a specialty white with very small, bright tubers. It has potato virus Y (PVY), late blight, and golden nematode resistance as well as moderate common scab tolerance. It is being commercialized by specialty fresh market growers.  Upstate Abundance seed acreage totaled 29 during 2021, ranking it 142nd nationally. The University of Maine released Pinto Gold (AF4659-12) in 2018.  It is a pinto-type, yellow-fleshed ‘roasting’ variety is also being commercialized by small-scale local foods markets and has been favorably received in this high-value market.  Other fresh market releases Red Maria (2010), a high-yielding red, Lehigh (2007), a widely-adapted yellow-fleshed variety, and Peter Wilcox (2007), a novel purple-skinned, yellow-fleshed variety continue to be utilized by fresh market growers.  Lehigh has been quite successful as a fresh market variety due to its yellow flesh, high yields and wide adaptation.   Each eastern breeding program submits its most promising advanced clones to the NE1731 regional project’s seed nursery in ME.  During 2021, the project distributed seed potatoes for 12 regional potato variety trials conducted in seven states and two Canadian provinces.  Eleven standard varieties and 16 experimental clones were tested for yield, tuber quality, and pest resistance. All trials were grown using standard commercial cultural practices. Marketable yield, tuber quality and appearance, maturity, storage life and processing potential were evaluated and compared to commercial standards.   The diverse environmental conditions present in the eastern U.S. allow us to quickly screen potato clones for stress sensitivity as well as broad adaptation and suitability to specific growing areas and markets.  Multi-site evaluation of early-generation clones speeds the breeding and selection process and enables us to identify both broadly- and specifically-adapted clones that will be useful to the U.S. potato industry and potato growers at all scales of production.  FL continues to facilitate commercial adoption by conducting cultural management studies (e.g. seedpiece spacing, nitrogen fertilizer, and vine desiccation studies) on promising potato clones, so that growers receive the best possible production guidelines.  Considering yield and quality attributes the most promising clones by market type were: chipping (MSAFB609-12, MSAFB635-15, NY163, and NY165); fresh market whites (AF5280-5 and AF5819-2); russet and long-whites (AF5071-2, and AF5406-7), reds and specialty (NDAF113484B-1).    Similar variety trials will be conducted during 2022 to further select clones to advance to commercial trials.  Each regional trial site reports results to their local stakeholders and submits their data to the project website coordinator located in NC.  The data are entered into a searchable database so that results are accessible to stakeholders and researchers anywhere in the world.  Our project web site and searchable database continues to grow in size and utility.  The database has now migrated to a more powerful and the user-friendly Variety Data Management platform (https://neproject.medius.re/).  The web site provides current contact information for project cooperators and recent research reports, as well as access to our regional variety database and a dynamic summary generator for all released varieties. This new database can provide side-by-side comparative data for potato clones and varieties as well as advanced analytical tools.   New varieties and descriptions. This project seeks, through activities coordinated across many Northeastern states, to develop potato varieties with improved agronomic, disease-resistance, and nutritional characteristics.  It is anticipated that improved potato cultivars will help maintain the viability of rural economies, reduce dependence on pesticides, and contribute substantially toward maintaining a secure, safe and nutritious food supply.   Advanced Experimental Potato Clones Showing Particular Promise in 2020 include: <ul> <li>AF4648-2 (NY132 x Liberator), a mid-season, round to oblong white with good yields, moderately-high gravity, bruise resistance, very good chip color, and good appearance.   It could go for chipping or fresh market.  It has good scab resistance and is resistant to golden nematode and PVY.  It has moderate pink rot and late blight resistance.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>AF5071-2 (AF3011-29 x AF3051-2), a late maturing, russet with good fry quality, fair tuber appearance, and high yields. Specific gravity is higher than Russet Burbank and fry color from storage has been good.  Fry color uniformity is very good. It is moderately susceptible</li> </ul>  to scab and hollow heart, but has moderate verticillium, blackspot, and shatter resistance. <ul> <li>AF5280-5 (ND7791C-1 x ND860-2), an early, round to oblong white with good yields, large tubers, moderate-low gravity, good chip color, and good appearance.  It could go for early fresh market.  It has good scab, bruise, hollow heart, pink rot, fusarium, and golden nematode resistance.  AF5280-5 is a good prospect to replace Superior in eastern markets.</li> <li>AF5406-7 (AF3317-15 x Silverton Russet), a late-maturing russet with good yields, large tubers, and resistance to late blight, scab, blackspot, shatter, verticillium, fusarium, and pink rot.  It will most likely be useful for processing market, but may also work for fresh market.</li> <li>AF5819-2 (Dakota Crisp x AF4552-5), is a medium maturing fresh market clones with bright skin, high yields, low specific gravity, moderate scab resistance, medium-sized tubers, and good internal quality.  It also has pink rot, softrot, and shatter resistance. </li> <li>AF6194-4 (Waneta x AF4648-2), is a medium maturing fresh market clones with bright skin, high yields, moderate specific gravity, moderate scab resistance, large tubers, and good internal quality.  It also has resistance to PVY, bruise, and golden nematode. </li> <li>MSAFB609-12 (NY148 x MSQ086-3), is a medium-ate maturing chipper with moderate to high yields, moderate to high specific gravity, good chip color, smooth skin, and fair to good tuber appearance.  It has resistance to late blight, PVY, golden nematode, pink rot, fusarium, and shatter bruise.  MSAFB609-12 has potential for chipping from northern areas.  This clone will be evaluated in the 2022 Potatoes USA National SNAC chipping trials (northern storage areas only).</li> </ul> <ul> <li>MSAFB635-15 (NYH15-5 x MSS297-3), is a medium-late maturing chipped with, high yields, high specific gravity, good chip color, netted skin, and fair tuber appearance. It has moderate resistance to verticillium, scab, and shatter.  MSAFB635-15 has potential for chipping in both southern and northern areas, but is probably best suited to out-of-field chipping. This clone will be evaluated in the 2022 Potatoes USA National SNAC chipping trials</li> </ul> <ul> <li>NC470-3 (Marcy X BNC182-5), a round to oblong PVY-resistant (Ryadg) chipper that has late vine maturity.  It has good out-of-field chip color, as well moderate scab and late blight resistance.  Specific gravity is typically within 2 to 4 points of Atlantic.   Marketable yields in NC have averaged 103% of Atlantic and 93% of Snowden. This clone will be evaluated in the future Potatoes USA National SNAC chipping trials as soon as seed can be made available.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>NDAF113484B-1 (ND060570B-1R x ND8555-8R), a pretty, mid-season, red with bright skin that holds its color well in storage. It has white flesh and mid-season maturity with moderate scab, shatter, and blackspot resistance). Yields are typically similar to those of Dark Red Norland. </li> </ul> <ul> <li>NY163 (E50-8 x E48-2), a medium-late maturing chipping clone with moderate to high specific gravity.  It has round to oblong tubers with a lightly textured skin. Yields have been high in many NY trials and are typically similar to Atlantic.  Specific gravity averages about 0.005 less than Atlantic.  It has exceptionally good chip color from storage and chips well from cold storage.  It has low incidence of external defects and relatively low hollow heart incidence (4% across 11 trials). It has moderate scab resistance and is resistant to golden nematode (Ro1).  It is currently being evaluated in Potatoes USA National SNAC chipping trials throughout the US.</li> <li>NY165 (NY148 x F48-4), a mid-season, moderate to high specific gravity, chip stock clone.  It has round to oblong tubers with slightly netted skin. Yields have been high in many NY trials; however, specific gravity may not be high enough for commercialization outside the northeast.  Chip color from storage is very good.  It has moderate scab resistance and is resistant to golden nematode (Ro1).  It is currently being evaluated in Potatoes USA National SNAC chipping trials throughout the US.</li> </ul>     Short-term Outcomes: <ol> <li>Eastern potato growers need new potato varieties which are highly productive and less susceptible to stress, diseases, and insects than current varieties. This regional potato breeding and trial network produces new potato varieties and evaluates their potential to serve fresh, processing, and specialty potato markets in the East.  These new varieties will improve grower profitability by increasing yields, enhancing market quality, and/or decreasing costs associated with pests.   Annual farm gate receipts for eastern potato production exceed 460 million dollars, therefore the impact of a successful new potato cultivar can mean many millions of dollars to the industry over time. Potatoes can cost more than $2500 per acre to produce and devastating diseases such as pink rot and/or late blight can totally destroy the crop.  Resistant varieties greatly decrease the risk of losses and, in the case of late blight resistance, can reduce production costs by reducing the number of chemical sprays applied to protect the crop from the pest.  Several areas in NY could not produce potatoes without the golden nematode resistant varieties developed as part of this and other research projects.  Internal heat necrosis (IHN) is a common stress-related defect in the mid-Atlantic and southeastern U.S.  While several of our trial sites help our programs screen for this defect, NC provides an excellent screening site and helps our programs select more stress-tolerate potato varieties.  During 2021, NC screened > 500 advanced and preliminary clones from 11 state and 2 USDA-ARS potato breeding programs for resistance to IHN. </li> </ol> <ol start="2"> <li>Field trials were conducted from ME to FL to help select promising potato clones that are worthy of commercialization. Advanced clones from our project were introduced to growers through field days, presentations, publications, web sites, and direct contact with stakeholders.  Over the years, the eastern regional project has resulted in the release of many commercially important potato varieties (e.g. Algonquin, Atlantic, Andover, Brodie, Caribou Russet, Harley Blackwell, Keuka Gold, Lady Liberty, Lamoka, Lehigh, Marcy, Peter Wilcox, Pike, Pinto Gold, Red Maria, Upstate Adundance, Waneta, etc.).  Two of NY’s recent chipping releases Waneta (NY138) and Lamoka (NY139) have been widely adopted by commercial growers.  Based on 2021 certified seed acreage, Lamoka ranks 8th among US varieties in certified seed production (3108 acres) and has replaced Snowden (1874 seed acres in 2021) as the standard storage chipping variety across the US. Waneta has also been widely adopted (1511 acres of seed in 2021, 15th ranked in the US) for chipping and fresh market.  We estimate that the annual value of potato chip production from Lamoka and Waneta exceeds one billion dollars (~15% of U.S. chip production).  Lady Liberty, formerly NY152, was released for chipping during 2018 and has high yields, excellent chip color out of cold storage, potato virus Y and common scab resistance.  National seed acreage increased to 629 during 2021, ranking it 31th in the U.S. just three years after its official variety release.   Twenty-three clones from the eastern states have been in the Potatoes USA fast-track chip program since 2011, and the programs supported under this grant have annually contributed up to 40% of clones in the Potatoes USA National Chip Processors Trials (NCPT).</li> </ol> <ol start="3"> <li>Caribou Russet was released by ME during 2015 for fry processing and russet fresh market. It has been rapidly adopted due to high yields, scab and verticillium resistance, and excellent consumer quality.  Certified seed acreage rose to 1476 acres (#16th in the US) during 2021.  Caribou Russet’s cash farm value to ME seed growers was ~$4.4 M during 2021 and the estimated cash farm value when this seed crop is planted, grown, and sold in 2022 is ~$41M . It is also being evaluated and adopted in many other countries around the world.  Hamlin Russet (tested as AF4124-7) was released by ME during 2021 for early fry processing and russet fresh market.  It has moderate scab resistance.  Certified seed acreage rose to 90 acres (#81st in the US) during 2021.  AF5071-2 and AF5406-7 are advanced fry processing clones that are generating commercial interest, while 30 additional russeted French fry clones are currently being evaluated by North American potato processors.  Reveille Russet from TX just completed testing in NE1731 regional trials and shows promise as a fresh market russet.  It now ranks 33rd in US seed potato production at 435 acres.</li> </ol> <ol start="4"> <li>As evidenced above, the advanced clones and releases from the Eastern project continue to be commercially evaluated and adopted by farmers and our industry stakeholders. Recent Eastern releases were grown on 3127 ME and NY seed acres during 2021 with a seed value of ~$10.9M. The resulting seed crop has the potential to plant 31,274 acres in 2022 with a ware value estimated at $101.6M. Nationally, varieties released by our long-term project since 2007 were grown on 7369 seed acres during 2021 with an approximate seed value of $25.8M and potential ware production value of $239.4M. Several varieties developed though our collective efforts are in the top 100 U.S. varieties based on seed acreage, including (acres, rank): Lamoka (3108, 8), Waneta (1511, 15), Caribou Russet (1476, 16), Lady Liberty (629, 31), Lehigh (283, 48), Reba (126, 71), Hamlin Russet (90, 81), Eva (88, 83), and Genesee (73, 92).  Atlantic, released in 1971 by USDA-ARS Beltsville and selected by a predecessor of this project, remains the top publically-released, out-of-field chip potato variety in the US (2360 acres, ranks 9th in US).</li> </ol> <ol start="5"> <li>The project places special emphasis on breeding and selecting clones with resistance to late blight, early blight, scab, golden nematode races Ro1 and Ro2, and potato virus Y (PVY). Advanced clones in our programs typically have resistance to several important potato pests and/or physiological disorders. As examples, Caribou Russet has resistance to verticillium wilt, common scab, soft rot, and powdery scab as well as excellent bruise resistance; Cornell releases typically have golden nematode resistance and scab tolerance, plus many recent releases also have resistance to potato virus Y and late blight; Upstate Abundance (formerly NY150), released by Cornell in 2017, has resistance to late blight, common scab, potato virus Y, and golden nematode;  Brodie (tested as NY140) was released by Cornell University during 2018 and is the first U.S. cultivar with resistance to golden nematode race Ro2 and it is also resistant to race Ro1. Ro1 is the long-time golden nematode pest in NY, while Ro2 is a newer race that has become increasingly difficult to manage in NY.  Golden nematode, a serious pest found in NY and in other countries, cannot be effectively managed without resistant varieties. All NY round whites, and most of the NY colored crosses, segregate for resistance to golden nematode Ro1 or Ro2, as do many crosses from the ME, NC and USDA programs. Marker-assisted selection for potato virus Y (PVY) and golden nematode resistance is now an integral part of our breeding programs. All advanced clones in the ME, NY, and NC potato breeding programs have been tested for the presence of DNA-based markers associated with PVY resistance. Disease screening trials in PA, evaluated varieties and advanced breeding clones for early blight, late blight, and common scab resistance. ME also conducts screening studies for susceptibility to important potato diseases (e.g. verticillium wilt, softrot, pink rot, fusarium, etc.).  These data are used to select resistant varieties/breeding clones.  Disease resistant varieties generated by this project have the potential to greatly reduce growers’ losses to devastating diseases such as late blight and can also reduce production costs. </li> </ol> <ol start="6"> <li>In addition to developing improved tetraploid potato varieties, our programs are advancing future potato breeding by participating in national efforts to implement diploid potato breeding. Diploid potato breeding will simplify the breeding and genetic improvement process.  USDA-ARS conducted 25 successful 2x-2x diploid crosses resulting in 2493 seeds for future research as well as two 4x-2x crosses resulting in 159 seeds for future research.  NY has used pollination with IVP101 to generate candidate dihaploids from Brodie, Andover, and NY164 and these have now been grown out for further evaluation.  ME continues research on diploid potato breeding by developing primary dihaploid progeny using the IVP48 haploid inducer crossed to tetraploid potato (e.g. Atlantic, Caribou Russet, NY121, and five other tetraploid clones).  ME currently has 436 primary dihaploid lines in tissue culture.  These lines are being phenotyped by chloroplast counting and other methods.  Additionally, whole genome sequencing libraries were generated and Illumina genomic sequencing is being performed.   These populations will be useful for future breeding and for studies on inheritance of important potato diseases, such as late blight, potato virus Y, and soft rot.</li> </ol> <ol start="7"> <li>Our project web site and searchable database continues to grow in size and utility. The database has now migrated to a more powerful and the user-friendly Variety Data Management platform (https://neproject.medius.re/).  The web site provides current contact information for project cooperators and recent research reports, as well as access to our regional variety database and a dynamic summary generator for all released varieties. This new database can provide side-by-side comparative data for potato clones and varieties as well as advanced analytical tools.</li> </ol>   Outputs: <ol> <li> Cultivars released this year:</li> </ol> <ul> <li>Our group did not release any new cultivars during 2021; however, commercialization of our recent releases continued as is summarized above.</li> </ul>

Publications

Refereed Journal Papers   Andrade, M.H.M.L., A.L.B.R. da Silva, L.G. Pesantes, C.T.Christensen, and L. Zotarelli. 2021. Seed piece spacing for early-maturing table-stock potato grown under subtropical conditions. Am. J. Potato Res. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-021-09838-z">https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-021-09838-z</a>   Brown-Donovan, K.M., G.A. Porter, and E.H., Tan. 2021.  Late blight resistance profiles of elite potato germplasm in the United States. American Journal of Potato Research doi: 10.1007/s12230-021-09837-0   Christensen, C.T., L. Zotarelli, K.G. Haynes, and J. Colee. 2021. Quantifying Solanum chacoense root morphology responses to limited nitrogen supply using in vitro, hydroponic, and field monolith methods. Am. J. Potato Res. 98:246-254. DOI: 10.1007/s12230-021-09829-0   Curland, R.D., A. Mainello, K.L. Perry, J. Hao, A.O. Charkowski, C.T. Bull, S. Johnson, N.  Rosenzweig, G.A. Secor, and C.A. Ishimaru. 2021. Species of Dickeya and Pectobacterium associated with 2015-2016 outbreaks of soft rot and blackleg of potato in Northeastern and North Central United States. Microorganisms 9(8):1733. DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9081733.   De Jong, W.S., D.E. Halseth, R.L. Plaisted, X. Wang, K.L. Perry, X., Qu, K.M. Paddock, M. Falise, B.J. Christ, and G.A. Porter.  2020.  Waneta, a variety with excellent chip color out of cold storage, long tuber dormancy, and resistance to the golden cyst nematode.  American Journal of Potato Research 97:580-585.   Ge, T., H. Jiang, E.H. Tan, S.B. Johnson, R.P. Larkin, A.O. Charkowski, G. Secor, and J. Hao. 2021.  Pangenomic analysis of Dickeya dianthicola strains reveals the outbreak of blackleg and soft rot of potato in USA. Plant Disease doi: 10.1094/PDIS-03-21-0587-RE   Ge, T., H. Jiang, S.B. Johnson, R.P. Larkin, A.O. Charkowski, G. Secor, and J. Hao. 2021. Genotyping Dickeya dianthicola causing potato blackleg and soft rot outbreak associated with inoculum geography in the United States. Plant Disease xx-xxx. DOI: 10.1094/PDIS-10-20-2138-RE.   Ge, T., S.B. Johnson, R.P. Larkin, L Luo, X. Liu, and J. Hao. 2021. Interaction between Dickeya dianthicola and Pectobacterium parmentieri in potato infection under field conditions. Microorganisms 9(2): 316. DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9020316.   Hao, J., and K. Ashley.  2021. Irreplaceable role of amendment-based strategies to enhance soil health and disease suppression in potato production 9:1660. DOI: 10.3390/ microorganisms9081660.   Krupek, F.S., P.J. Dittmar, S.A. Sargent, L. Zotarelli, and D.L. Rowland. 2021. Impact of early potato desiccation method on crop growth, skinning injury, and storage quality maintenance. Am. J. Potato Res. doi:10.1007/s12230-021-09836-1 Lee, W.C., L. Zotarelli, D.L. Rowland, and G. Liu. 2021. Evaluation of potato varieties grown in hydroponics for phosphorus use efficiency. Agriculture, 11(7), 668. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11070668">https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11070668</a>   Levina, A.V., O. Hoekenga, M. Gordin, C., Broeckling, and W.S.  De Jong.  2021.  Genetic analysis of potato tuber metabolite composition: genome-wide association studies applied to a non-targeted metabolome, Crop Science 61:591-603. https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.20398   Mishra, S., J. Dee, W. Moar, J. Dufner-Beattie, J. Baum, N.P. Dias, A. Alyokhin, A. Buzza, S.I. Rondon, M. Clough, S. Menasha, R. Groves, J. Clements, K. Ostlie, G. Felton, T. Waters, W.E. Snyder, and J.L. Jurat-Fuentes.  2021. Selection for high levels of resistance to double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) in Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say) using non-transgenic foliar delivery. Sci Rep 11, 6523. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-85876-1   da Silva Pereira, G., Mollinari, M., Schumann, M.J., Clough, M.E., Zeng, Z.B., and G.C. Yencho,  2021. The recombination landscape and multiple QTL mapping in a Solanum tuberosum cv. ‘Atlantic’-derived F1 population. Heredity 126, 817–830. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41437-021-00416-x">https://doi.org/10.1038/s41437-021-00416-x</a>   Rens, L.R., L. Zotarelli, A.L.B.R. da Silva, Ferreira, C.J.B., C.A. Tormena, D.L. Rowland, and K.T. Morgan. 2021. Managing water table depth thresholds for potato subirrigation. Agricultural Water Management, 259:107236. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2021.107236">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2021.107236</a> Tooley, B.E., E.B. Mallory, G.A Porter, and G. Hoogenboom.  2021.  Predicting the response of a potato-grain production system to climate change for a humid continental climate using DSSAT.  Agricultural and Forest Meteorology.  307 (2021) 108452     Published Abstracts Andrade. M., L. Gomez-Pesantes, L. Zotarelli, and G. England. 2020. Tuber yield and size distribution as function of seed piece spacing for table-stock potatoes. Abstract of Am. Soc. of Horticultural Sciences Annual Meeting. HortScience 55(9):S281.   Andrade. M. and L. Zotarelli.  2020. Comparison of spatial models for potato breeding trials. Abstract of Am. Soc. of Horticultural Sciences Annual Meeting. HortScience 55(9):S23.   Bortolozzo, F., R. Mwatuwa, L. Zotarelli, A.L.B.R. Silva, and T. Wade. 2020. Potato yield and net return of n-fertilizer rate and timing for seepage and subsurface drain-tile irrigation. Abstract of Am. Soc. of Horticultural Sciences Annual Meeting. HortScience 55(9):S360.   Ge, T., S. Johnson, R.P. Larkin, A.O. Charkowski, and J. Hao. 2020. Pathogen synergism of blackleg disease on potato. DOI: 10.1094/PHYTO-110-12-S2.207.     Other Publications (Book Chapters) Jansky S.H., W.S. De Jong, D.S. Douches, K.G. Haynes, and D.G. Holm.  2021. Cultivar Improvement with Exotic Germplasm: An Example from Potato.  In: The Wild Solanums Genomes. D. Carputo, R. Aversano, M.R. Ercolano, Eds. Springer, Cham, Switzerland. pp 215-230.  DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-30343-3_12   Other Publications De Jong, W.S. and M. Falise.  2021.  Cornell potato breeding program annual report.  33 pp. Clough, M. and G.C. Yencho.  North Carolina Potato Variety Trial and Breeding Report 2021.  41 pp. (available online at https://potatoes.cals.ncsu.edu/)   Ge, T. 2021.  Characterization of Dickeya dianthicola and Pectobacterium parmentieri causing blackleg and soft rot on potato.  University of Maine, Ph.D.dissertation.   Kleinhenz, M.D., and S.D. Walker. 2021. 2021 Ohio potato germplasm evaluation report, in Cooperation with the Northeast (NE-1731) Regional Project, The Ohio State University Horticulture and Crop Science Series No. 886, Nov. 2021. 51 pp.   Li, K. 2021.  Determining effects of management on potato early dying and soil microbiome and assessing risk of fungicide resistance in Verticillium dahliae.  University of Maine, M.S. thesis.   Liu, G., X. Fu, L. Zotarelli, S.A. Sargent, K.W. Migliaccio, and Y. Li. 2020.  How to fertigate plant vines via center pivots for commercial potato production in Florida. Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida EDIS Publication HS1361. <a href="https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1361">https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1361</a> Porter, G.A., P. Ocaya, B. MacFarline, and B. Plummer.  2021.  Potato variety trial results in Maine, 2020 growing season.   SFA Research Report (posted on www and distributed to industry), 2020-01, 22 pp. Also available at https://neproject.medius.re Porter, G.A. and P. Ocaya.  2021.  Progress report on potato PVY research - 2020 Growing Season.  Report to the Maine Potato Board, submitted February 2021, 5 pp.   Porter, G.A. and P. Ocaya.  2021.  Progress report on Maine potato breeding program – 2020 growing season.   Report to the Maine Potato Board, submitted February 2021, 14 pp.    Qu X.S. and M.W. Peck.  2021.  Pennsylvania potato research report, 2020.  Penn State College of Agricultural sciences, January 2021.  40 pp.  Plant Disease Management Reports 15:V033. (<a href="https://plantpath.psu.edu/research/areas/plant-disease-management/penn-state-potato-research-program/pennsylvania-potato-research-reports">https://plantpath.psu.edu/research/areas/plant-disease-management/penn-state-potato-research-program/pennsylvania-potato-research-reports</a>).   Qu X.S., W.Y. Xue, and M.W. Peck.  2021.  Field evaluation of potato cultivars and breeding lines for resistance to late blight in Pennsylvania, 2020.  Plant Disease Management Reports 15:V033.   Qu X.S., M.W. Peck, and X.Y. Xue.  2021.  Evaluation of fungicides for control of potato early blight in Pennsylvania, 2020.  Plant Disease Management Reports 15:V034.   Qu X.S., M.W. Peck, and X.Y. Xue.  2021.  Evaluation of foliar fungicides for control of potato late blight in Pennsylvania, 2020.  Plant Disease Management Reports 15:V035.   Qu X.S., W.Y. Xue, and M.W. Peck.  2021.  Field evaluation of potato cultivars and breeding lines for resistance to early blight in Pennsylvania, 2020.  Plant Disease Management Reports 15:V036.   Torres Quezada, E. and M. Reiter.  2021.  Virginia potato variety trial report, 2021.  Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center, 27 pp.    Zotarelli, L., T. Wade, G.K. England, and C.T. Christensen. 2021. Nitrogen fertilization guidelines for potato production in Florida. Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida EDIS Publication HS1429. Available at <a href="https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/hs1429">https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/hs1429</a>   Zotarelli, L. and P. Solano.  2021. Florida potato variety trial report, 2021. Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Volume 12.  Available at <a href="https://hos.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/variety-trials/">https://hos.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/variety-trials/</a>   PRESENTATIONS: Alaba, O., L. Heroux, B. Moore, M. Davis, G.A. Porter, and E.H. Tan.  2021.  Estimating the efficacy of potato haploid induction system from seed abortion rates.  Potato Association of America Annual Meeting (Virtual Meeting, 2021)   Clough, M. and C. Yencho. 2019. NC Regional Potato Growers Talks, Dec 8th 2020.   Hao, J.J. 2020.  Multi-facet perspectives in understanding blackleg and soft rot of potato. Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, via Zoom. Dec. 19, 2020.   Heroux, L., O. Alaba, J. Hao, G.A. Porter, and E.H. Tan. 2021.  Leveraging primary dihaploid potato genetics to investigate Dickeya dianthicola resistance in Caribou Russet.  Potato Association of America Annual Meeting (Virtual Meeting, 2021)   Ge, T. and J. Hao. 2021. Diversified bacteria associated with blackleg and soft rot of potato in Northeastern America. Annual Maine Potato Conference, online, January 11, 2021.   Li, K. and J. Hao.  2021. Managing potato early dying using soil fumigation and pesticides. Annual Maine Potato Conference, online, January 11, 2021.   Moore, B, K. Klebon, and E.H. Tan. 2021.  In planta Minichromosome Engineering. UMaine Student Symposium (Virtual Meeting, 2021) Porter, G.A. and P. Ocaya.  2021.  Progress report on PVY research - 2020 Growing Season.  Report to the Maine Potato Board, Presque Isle, ME.  March 10, 2021.   Porter, G.A. and P. Ocaya.  2021.  Potato virus Y management and 2021 research update.  University of Maine Cooperative Extension on line video presentation.  March 2021.   Porter, G.A., P. Ocaya, and K. Brown.  2021.  Progress report on Maine potato breeding program – 2020 growing season.   Report to the Maine Potato Board, Presque Isle, ME. March 10, 2021.         Porter, G.A., P. Ocaya, and K. Brown.  2021.  Breeding potatoes and 2020 potato breeding program research update.  University of Maine Cooperative Extension on line video presentation.  March 2021.   Qu, X.S.  2021.  Pennsylvania potato variety trials 2020 and promising varieties,  Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention, Hershey, PA, February 11, 2021. Spencer, D., C. Hatton, and E.H. Tan. 2021.  Genome instability induced by centromere-mediated genome elimination in the early Arabidopsis embryo Polyploidy in Development, Evolution and Disease (MDIBL, 2021)   Tims, K. and E.H. Tan. 2021.  Examining student attitudes towards genetic engineering and the Bioengineered (BE) food label. USDA Agricultural Marketing Services (AMS) and Marketing and Regulatory Programs (MRP) Conference (Virtual Conference, 2021)   Tan, E. H., O. Alaba, O., L. Heroux, D. Spencer, D., and B. Moore, B. 2021.  Diploid potato breeding to boost potato breeding and enhancement efforts in Maine.  UMaine Extension Workshop (Virtual Meeting, 2021)   Zhang, X. and J. Hao.  2021.  Screening potato clones for pink rot resistance. Annual Maine Potato Conference, online, January 11, 2021.   Zotarelli L. and J.M. Oliveria. 2021. Water conservation and nutrient management on vegetable production: a case study of Florida. I International Week of Agronomy. State University of Maringa, CAJOL Academic Center, Maringa, Brazil. Virtual Meeting. 10/27/2021. Zotarelli L. 2020. Potato and broccoli breeding programs focus on improved varieties for eastern USA. Original title: “Melhoramento genético de batata e brócolis para a Costa Leste dos Estados Unidos”. I Workshop Internacional sobre Melhoramento Genético e Produção de Sementes de Hortaliças. Embrapa Hortaliças, Brasilia, Brazil. Virtual Meeting. 11/16/2020.     TOURS, FIELD DAYS, TRADES SHOWS: Clough, M. 2021.  NC Virtual Field Day.  June 9th 2021   De Jong, W.S.  2021.  Twilight grower meeting at site of on-farm chip potato trial, 5 August 2021, Arkport, NY   NEWSPAPER, READIO, TELEVISION MEDIA ARTICLES: Porter, G.A. 2021.  Maine Public –TV and online news. Appeared on Maine Public News Portland, ME news show and was interviewed by Robbie Feinberg, November 26, 2021.  “UMaine researcher are trying to create climate change resistant potatoes”. Porter, G.A. 2021.  NBC News. Appeared on TV and online news following interview by Dustin Wlodkowski, NBC 10 , Boston, MA, November 23, 2021.  “UMaine develops climate change resistant potatoes”. Porter, G.A. 2021.  Bangor Daily News newspaper and online news following an interview by Sam Schipani, November 18, 2021.  “UMaine is creating a super potato”.   Tan, E.H. 2021.  News article on <a href="https://www.morningagclips.com/new-umaine-research-hub-to-focus-on-potato-virus-y/">Morning Ag Clips</a>                                                             2021 https://www.morningagclips.com/new-umaine-research-hub-to-focus-on-potato-virus-y/ Porter, G.A. 2021.  NewsCenter 2-TV, Presque Isle, ME. Appeared on NewsCenter 2, Portland, ME news show and was interviewed by Hannah Yechive, July 12, 2021.  “Condition of the Maine potato crop, water supply, and market conditions”. Porter, G.A. and E.H. Tan.  2021.  NewsCenter 2, Portland, ME. Appeared on “NewsCenter 2 News” and was interviewed by Hannah Yechive, March 2021.  “Potato breeding and genetic tools for potato breeding”. https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/community/umaine-professors-trying-to-develop-potato-varieties-using-new-dna-based-tools/97-4e8e267f-c482-49a4-9e76-67882344b7c2 Porter, G.A. 2020.  WAGM-TV, Presque Isle, ME. Appeared on “WAGM TV News” and was interviewed by Kathy McCarty, December 9, 2020.  “Genetic tools for potato breeding: our recent grant and application to potato improvement”. https://www.wagmtv.com/2021/01/07/researchers-using-potato-dna-to-develop-new-varieties/   Tan, E.H. 2021.  News article on <a href="https://bangordailynews.com/2021/08/20/bdn-maine/new-umaine-research-hub-to-focus-on-potato-virus-y/">Bangor Daily News</a>                                                           https://bangordailynews.com/2021/08/20/bdn-maine/new-umaine-research-hub-to-focus-on-potato-virus-y

Impact Statements

Date of Annual Report: 04/28/2023

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 12/12/2022 - 12/13/2022
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2021 - 09/01/2022

Participants

Brief Summary of Minutes

Project Business

Greg Porter welcomed the group and called the meeting to order at 1:00 PM. The 2021 minutes (from the December 2021 meeting) were unanimously approved. The agenda was reviewed and additions and proposed changes were requested. Introductions took place and committee chairs were appointed as follows: Resolutions – Walter De Jong, Lincoln Zotarelli, and Craig Yencho; Site selection – Mark Clough, Xinshun Qu, Paul Collins.

The group discussed nominations for project officers – We have had a static leadership committee for many years (Porter, chair; Yencho, vice-chair; De Jong, secretary). Porter will be retiring in 2023, necessitating change. The following slate of officers was selected for 2022-2023: Walter De Jong, chair; Han Tan, vice-chair; and Paul Collins, secretary.

Administrative Advisor Report – Jessica Leahy. Jessica became our new AA in January 2022 and helped shepherd our 2022 project rewrite through the NERA system. We are grateful! Jessica’s team can help submit annual report and minutes if assistance is needed.

National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Report – Jessica Shade. Jessica is the National Program Leader for Plant Systems – Production, and along with Ann Stapleton, is the NIFA representative for our project. NIFA funds ag research, extension, and education, with a total budget for 2021 of 1.8 billion dollars, about half of which went to capacity programs (e.g., Hatch funds). Most competitive grants are awarded through AFRI. Jessica provided an overview of NIFA program priorities: climate change, nutrition security, enhanced market opportunities, DEIA (diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility).

Research presentations

Chris Clarke gave a presentation about detecting and genomically characterizing Streptomyces spp, with a view towards combatting common scab of potato. Has found that quantifying the thaxtomin operon works well to predict level of disease in greenhouse pots, but not so well in the field, and not at all for organisms that cause netted scab. Has sequenced ~250 potato-associated Streptomyces isolates. In the process found three new species (bringing total to 15 species now known to cause pitted scab). Species group does not predict disease severity.

David DeKoeyer spoke about revitalizing potato wart resistance breeding in Canada. Wart spores can survive 40+ years so very difficult to control once you have it. 39 wart pathotypes are known, with 2, 6, and 8 important in Canada, and 1 also present. Most varieties from Newfoundland are resistant to pathotype 1 but 2 is becoming more common. Pathotypes 6 and 8 have been found on PEI. Russet Burbank is resistant to 1, while Goldrush and Prospect are resistant to 2, 6, 8. AAFC has been working to rejuvenate the five acre wart screening site in Avondale NFLD, e.g., installing fence to keep out moose. Have marker assays to detect Sen1, 2, 3, 4 resistance genes. Sen3 marker is more predictive with russet than non-russet germplasm.

Marcio Resende talked about the new potato breeding program at U FL. 2022 is the first year they conducted all steps of a potato breeding program (crossing, early generation selection, replicated trials of advanced clones). U FL has invested in infrastructure (cold storage, greenhouse, potato harvester).

Han Tan gave a presentation about his continuing efforts to capture genetic diversity of eastern potato germplasm at the diploid level by prickle pollination of tetraploids. Already has many dihaploids, is now working to improve male and female fertility and long day adaptation, as well as introgress self-compatibility. IVP48 has worked better for dihaploid extraction than IVP101.

Craig Yencho summarized lessons learned while trying to implement genomic selection in potato and sweet potato. Lessons are: 1) need to have appropriate resources to start (genome sequence, existing markers) 2) need to have a team (bioinformatics, genotyping, breeder) – no one person can do it all 3) need to be prepared to change structure of breeding program to accommodate collecting and using marker data 4) dosage sensitive markers work better for genomic prediction than markers that can only be scored as AA, AB and BB. NCSU is currently using marker data on year three clones to identify parents. Key struggle at present is weighting multiple traits for a single selection index.

State Site Reports

FL – Potato acreage has been on a downward trend, and the mix of varieties, once 80% chip/20% fresh, is shifting towards 50/50. Growing conditions were good, with somewhat low temperatures, which both raised specific gravities and increased length of growing season until crop maturity was achieved. Program intends to use Atlantic as a biomarker for harvest date, rather than an arbitrary days after planting number, to determine harvest date in the future. E.g., harvest when Atlantic is 90% senesced.

ME – perhaps 57,000 acres for 2022 (NASS estimate of 59,000 is deemed by industry to be too high). Yields in 2022 were even higher than the high yields of 2021, at about 345 cwt/acre. Yields in university trials were the highest Greg Porter has ever seen. Industry about 60% fry and chips, 20% fresh, 20% seed. No late blight in 2022.

NY – estimated 12,000 acres. USDA-NASS no longer reports potato acreage for NY. Severe drought reduced yields throughout the state.

NC – currently has about 13,000 acres of potatoes, with industry still about 70/30 - chip/table. Planting typically in March, with harvest in June and July. Good growing season. Chip acreage is moving to irrigated land. NC had 17 yield trials in 2022, plan on 19 in 2023.

PA – Estimated 4500 acres, 60% chip/40% fresh. Hot and dry season reduced yield but quality still OK.

NB – Good growing season, 52,000 acres, 70% planted to processing potatoes, 18% to table potatoes, 12% seed. Crop is storing well. Russet Burbank had elevated hollow heart and sunburn this year. Overall yields about 330 cwt/acre.

QC – Report emailed to be shared with the group. Approximately 50000 acres, 50% fresh/40% process/10% seed. Cold, wet spring, small size profile, average yield, good quality.

Comments from Industry

Jonathan Price: expressed interest in creamer potatoes, especially those that are scab resistant. Most European creamer potatoes they have tested have been scab susceptible.

John Lundeen (Research Director for Potatoes USA) noted that at recent National Chip Program meeting, the default now is to trust breeders for EGSS and NCPT decisions, but for industry to be heavily involved when deciding which clones enter SNAC trials. Two key criteria for SNAC: clone needs to beat existing alternatives and show nationwide potential.

Chris Hopkins: smaller chip potatoes are needed by industry, but not at the cost of reducing overall yield or specific gravity. The ability to grow with less water and nitrogen is increasingly important. Disease resistance is a plus if it allows growers to use less pesticides. Some Black Gold customers are asking them to plant on irrigated land, to reduce risk of supply failure. Thus the increased use of irrigation on potatoes in North Carolina (see NC state report above).

Pathology Reports

AAFC: Erica Fava, incidence of scab on susceptible clones in 2022 scab plots was low; data will be sent out soon.

U ME: Greg Porter, colleague Jay Hao continues to screen for pink rot and soft rot resistance. Pink rot data comes from a field trial, which shows good differentiation between clones. The breeding program runs Verticillium and Fusarium resistance trials. Greg has already distributed scab resistance trial results.

Penn State: Xinshun Qu, evaluated ~38 clones for resistance to common scab, early blight and late blight. Report has been sent out by email.

Breeding/Genetics Reports

Maine. Greg Porter will retire at the end of 2023. U ME hopes to hire a successor soon, to provide a year of overlap. Planted 45,000 single-hills, saved 2.7%. Program currently 50% russets / 40% round whites, chips, yellow flesh / 10% specialty. Disease resistance priorities are for late blight, potato virus Y, and scab. Use markers to identify clones with golden nematode and PVY resistance genes. Have begun to use Field Book app – has proven useful for field data collection, but not for grading line. Recent release of Caribou Russet: industry continues to be happy with it, seed acreage still going up. Although susceptible to internal heat necrosis, it has high yield and good quality, good tolerance to bruise and soft rot, and few internal defects. AF5280-5, a round white, performed well from FL to the Maritimes. AF6194-4 is another promising round white, with good resistance to common scab and PVY immune. AF5819-2 is high yielding, but eye depth and uniformity are possible issues. NDAF113484B-1 is a red with large tuber size and moderate scab resistance. A6289-2, a breeder’s choice last year, is being dropped; not pretty enough. MSAFB609-12 is resistant to PVY and late blight; a chipping clone. MSAFB635-15 will be in SNAC trials in 2023, suitable for out-of-the-field chipping, and resistant to Verticillium, tolerant to pink and soft rot; specific gravity higher than Atlantic.

New York. Severe drought in 2022 – no rain entire summer in our unirrigated seed plots. Finding harvest help was the most difficult it has ever been. Planted 18000 seedlings. Deer pressure was high, which complicated making selections. Most promising clones currently in program are NY163 (lightest fry color of any clone yet developed at Cornell) and NY174 and NY177 (which will both be in SNAC trials in 2023). The set of chipping clone NY181 is relatively high, a trait we have been increasingly selecting for.

North Carolina. Now use five-hill plots in first field year. Selected 13% of chipping clones, lower percentage of tablestock. Intend to discard all PVY susceptible clones (based on marker analysis) going forward. NC470-03 will be in SNAC trials in 2024. Have used European clones to bring in Ry-sto resistance gene. Are trying to push harvest date to 90-95 days after planting to select for earlier maturities. Will get a new storage cooler soon, which will triple current storage space.

USDA-ARS. 60% chip/30% table/10% diploid. Planted 28000 single-hill plots, 448 12-hill plots, 15 40-hill plots, 34 100-hill plots, and are also evaluating 29 advanced clones. Working with U FL to study heat tolerance, NUE, and PUE.

AAFC. Working towards a four-hill system for first field year. 35000 seedlings in 2022 (mix of single and 3-4 hill plots). Field years 3 and 4 represent preliminary trials, while field years 5+ are national trials. Program is increasing emphasis on French fry varieties. Released six table varieties in 2022, one of which now has plant breeders’ rights. Use a small plot-harvester from 3^rd year on, which saves a lot of labor. Have optical sorters at all major national trial sites. Have begun to use genomic selection to choose parents. Using DArTag markers, find get acceptable DNA from tuber eyes. Use Potatobase for recordkeeping and like it.

Florida. Made 160 crosses, produced seedling tubers from 4000 clones, planted 7000 single-hill plots (and selected 115). Are using Field Book app for data collection and UAV imaging, too. For parents, are only using those that have yielded more than 330 cwt/acre in the past with a specific gravity above 1.075.

Update on the NE1731 website/database/data reporting. Data we submit to Mark Clough is posted publicly unless we ask that it not be. New feature in neproject.medius.re is that number of years and number of locations is shown when comparing varieties.

Seed orders, shopping list, new entries. Greg emailed all participants a list of 39 test clones and 12 standard varieties to be considered for evaluation. The cost of seed per hundredweight has been fixed at $75 for many years, with U ME covering the ever-increasing costs of production. Virus tests alone are $100 per clone. Going forward, to spread the costs more fairly, each breeding program will pay $200 per entry in the seed nursery.

Breeder’s choices (all sites must evaluate these):

AF6565-8 (chip)

AF6601-2 (chip)

NDAF141Y-3 (red)

NY174 (chip)

NY177 (chip)

BNC559-1 (purple skin, white flesh)

BNC917-2 (purple skin, white flesh)

Standard varieties to include in all NE2231 trials:

Atlantic

Chieftain

Katahdin

Kennebec

Snowden

Superior

Yukon Gold

Eastern Region Potato Special Grant. We are currently in year 2 of 2 for the 2021 Potato Special Grant and will need to submit a proposal in Spring 2023. Plan is for the new breeder in Maine to assume responsibility as lead PI (just like Greg has done), as Maine is the largest potato producing state in the Northeast.

NE1731 project rewrite. We submitted a proposal early in 2022, which was approved. Our new project is now NE2231, and runs for five years (until 30 Sept 2027).

New funding opportunities. AFRI grants for conventional plant breeding – mentioned by Jessica Shade – are something we should look into.

Old Business. Greg has already collected data from us to write annual reports.

New Business. None.

Committee Reports

Site Selection: Chris Clarke (USDA-ARS) has graciously agreed to host our next meeting on 11-12 December 2023 in Beltsville, MD.

Resolutions (approved unanimously):

We recognize and congratulate Greg Porter for 40 years of excellent leadership and contribution to the potato industry, academia, and the time he dedicated as our project coordinator, and we wish him our best in retirement.

Craig Yencho, Emily Genther, and Mark Clough (NCSU) for hosting and assisting with the logistics of the meeting

Chris Clarke (USDA-ARS), David De Koeyer (AAFC), Marcio Resende (UFL), Ek Han Tan (Univ. of Maine) and Craig Yencho (NCSU) for giving presentations on their research to the project members

J. Leahy, Associate Director of the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station, for attending our meeting and providing guidance as our Administrative Advisor

Jessica Shade (National Program Leader for National Institute of Food and Agriculture/NIFA) for presenting an overview of the NIFA funding programs.

Mark Clough of North Carolina State University and Brad Halladay of Medius Ag for his on-going database management and electronic data capture efforts on behalf of the NE2231 project.

Walter De Jong from Cornell University for serving as the NE1731 Secretary.

All NE2231 presenters, potato breeders, agronomists, plant pathologists, industry, technical assistants, collaborators, and trial cooperators for their dedication to our group effort and their intellectual engagement in the process of potato improvement, selection, and variety development.

Other Business – none. Adjournment – 11:50 am on 13December 2022.

Minutes Attachment:

NE1731 Report 2022 APPENDIX D.pdf

Accomplishments

Project Accomplishments: This multidisciplinary, regional project utilizes the potato breeding and variety development expertise in the eastern US to breed, select, and develop new potato varieties for growers at all scales of production.  It encourages the pooling of regional resources and promotes increased communication within the potato community located in the northeast, mid-Atlantic and southeast. The overarching goal of this project is to identify new potato varieties for use in the Northeastern, mid-Atlantic and southeast US, which will contribute to a more sustainable and profitable potato industry. Many major US varieties, including Atlantic (the dominant out-of-field chipping variety in the US), Lamoka and Waneta (dominant out-of-storage chipping varieties in the US), and Caribou Russet (a popular and extensively-grown new russeted variety) are products of this coordinated eastern potato breeding and variety development effort.   This regional project has: 1) allowed potato breeders to share breeding materials and trial results; 2) facilitated potato germplasm selection and evaluation under diverse environmental conditions in the eastern US; 3) given research and extension personnel the opportunity to evaluate new selections from several potato breeding programs; 4) facilitated regional germplasm screening for specific characteristics at a single location (e.g. early blight, late blight, and common scab resistance in PA; scab and virus resistance in ME; nematode resistance in NY); 5) developed variety profiles and cultural recommendations for potato selections that enter commercial production; and 6) resulted in the release and adoption of many important US potato cultivars .    Potato breeding for improved quality, stress tolerance, and pest resistance was conducted in FL, ME, NY, NC, and USDA-ARS (Orono, ME) during 2022.  During 2022, our programs generated 789 new tetraploid families (494,528 seeds) from crosses using parents with desirable quality, utilization, adaptation, and/or pest resistance traits. Progeny (97,069) from earlier crosses were field selected resulting in 3289 clones that will be further evaluated during 2023 under conditions with diverse abiotic and biotic stress in the eastern U.S. and beyond.  Our breeding programs focus on specific pest, climactic stress, and marketing issues, so that regional resources are used efficiently.  For example, ME is the only breeding program in the region which focuses on russets and long whites for processing (50% russets, 40% fresh and chipping whites, 10% reds and specialty varieties).  ME also emphasizes research on late blight, pink rot, potato virus Y (PVY), soft rot, and scab resistance. During 2022, 262 ME crosses were made resulting 127,638 true seed for future selection and variety development. During the 2022 growing season ME evaluated 45,392 first-year generation clones selecting 1215 (~ 2.7%) and 850 second-year clones selecting 208 (~24%).  The selected clones will continue evaluation during 2023.  In addition to selecting clones for adaptation to ME, ME sends all 2nd-year selections to NC and/or FL to assess heat tolerance and adaptation to stressful southeast (SE) growing conditions.  PA also screens all ME 4th year russet clones to help select for improved heat tolerance.  NY emphasizes white-skinned chipping crosses, but also selects fresh-market clones of varying skin and flesh colors.  NY emphasizes resistance to golden nematode, scab, and PVY, but also crosses for late blight, white cyst nematode, and other resistances. All advanced NY clones were evaluated for resistance to the golden nematode during 2022 using an established bioassay.  NY continues to select for improved chip quality from cold storage.  For the fifth consecutive year, all NY chipping clones were screened for ability to chip from 43F storage.  This increases selection pressure to further drive chip germplasm improvements for long-term storage chip quality.  The NY selection strategy now requires that storage chipping clones must chip better than Snowden from cold storage.  This is resulting in dramatic improvements in long-term storage chip quality within the NY program.  During 2022, 111 NY crosses resulted 205,710 true seed for future selection and variety development.  NY evaluated 14,700 first-year clones during 2022 selecting 807 (~ 5.5%) and 103 second-year clones selecting 25 (~24%).  Fifteen advanced NY clones were evaluated in on-farm trials in NY during 2022.   NY continues to conduct crosses using germplasm from outside of North America (e.g. Agata, Barbara, Bora Valley, Carola, Diamant, Kameraz, La Ratte, Morene, Olalla, and  Vita) to broaden the program’s overall genetic base.      Our potato breeding programs are focused on developing plant materials with greater resilience to heat stress and climate change; however, our USDA-ARS, NC, and FL programs are particularly suited to developing these new heat-stress-tolerant plant materials.  NC’s potato breeding program focuses on heat-stress tolerance, PVY resistance, and resistance to internal heat necrosis.   In NC all crosses have pedigrees where either one or both parents has shown good adaptation for heat stress in the form of internal heat necrosis resistance as well as solids accumulation, tuber set and/or tuber bulking. During 2022, 147 NC crosses resulted in 67,650 true seed. During the 2022 growing season NC evaluated 5,750 first generation clones selecting 706 (~12.3%) and 630 second generation clones selecting 152 (24%).  NC screens all of its field-selected clones for the presence of DNA-based markers associated with PVY (Ryadg or Rysto) and golden nematode resistance (H1).  Only clones with positive tests for the PVY resistance marker(s) are kept for future evaluation.  NC continues to conduct crosses using germplasm from outside of North America (e.g. Pirola and Meduza) to broaden the program’s overall genetic base. For the fresh market, NC’s priority is finding a replacement for Dark Red Norland because of its low yield and variable skin color in stressful SE environments.   In addition to field screening 567 NC clones for heat tolerance, NC also screened 338 clones from the other eastern potato breeding programs to assess heat tolerance and adaptation to the SE.  During 2021, FL initiated potato breeding that will further strengthen our region’s efforts to create heat-tolerant potato germplasm with adaptation to the SE.  During 2022, 80 FL crosses resulted 39,880 true seed for future selection and variety development.  FL evaluated 5,895 first-year clones during 2022 selecting 54 (~ 0.9%) for continued evaluation in 2023.    In addition to developing improved tetraploid potato varieties, our programs are advancing future potato breeding by participating in national efforts to implement diploid potato breeding.  Diploid potato breeding will simplify and accelerate the breeding and genetic improvement process.  USDA-ARS conducted 102 successful 2x-2x diploid crosses resulting in 15,055 seeds for future research.   USDA-ARS evaluated 2,652 first-year diploid clones during 2022 selecting 46 (~ 1.7%) for continued evaluation in 2023.  NY has used pollination with IVP101 to generate candidate dihaploids from Brodie, Andover, and NY164 and these have now been grown out for further evaluation and eventual use in diploid potato breeding.  ME continues research on diploid potato breeding by developing primary dihaploid progeny using the IVP48 and IVP101 haploid inducers crossed to tetraploid potato (e.g. Atlantic, Caribou Russet, NY121, and fifteen other tetraploid clones).  Haploid induction crosses were conducted using 10 advanced tetraploid breeding clones during 2022.  A total of 237 berries were obtained that will yield seed for future research.  Priority crosses in this set used tetraploid parents Sakai 35 (yellow-flesh, PVY resistance based on Rychc) and AF5707-1, AF5736-16, and AF5406-7 (all three are russets; two with late blight resistance).  ME currently has more than 436 primary dihaploid lines in tissue culture.  These lines are being phenotyped by chloroplast counting and other methods.  During 2022, 339 primary dihaploids were field evaluated to assess plant growth and tuber quality. Selected individuals will be used for crosses to a male-fertile diploid parent in order to restore male fertility as well as to introduce self-compatibility.  Phenotyping and genetic studies are underway to assess potato blackleg and soft rot disease (PBSR) resistance in the ME03 primary dihaploid population, derived from Caribou Russet. Preliminary data show that a number of ME03 primary dihaploid lines have promising resistance levels when inoculated with the PBSR-causing pathogen, Dickeya dianthicola.   Disease screening is an important part of potato variety development.  Disease-resistant varieties generated by this project have the potential to greatly reduce growers’ losses to devastating diseases such as late blight, pink rot, and PVY and can also reduce agricultural chemical use and production costs.  Screening trials in PA, evaluated our NE1731 and advanced breeding clones for early blight (42 clones), late blight (252 clones), and common scab resistance (53 clones) tolerance. During 2022, ME also conducted screening studies for tolerance to important potato diseases (late blight, common scab, verticillium wilt, soft rot, pink rot, fusarium, PVY, and potato leafroll virus (PLRV). These data are used to select resistant varieties and parental clones.  NY’s long-term effort at increasing the frequency of PVY resistance in its germplasm is bearing fruit.  Most advanced clones in the program carry a marker that is tightly linked to the Ryadg gene for PVY resistance.  All advanced NY clones are field screened for common scab resistance, while all are also screened for golden nematode resistance (via bioassay) and PVY resistance (via DNA-based marker).  NC screens all of its field-selected clones for the presence of DNA-based markers associated with PVY (Ryadg or Rysto) and golden nematode resistance (H1).  Only clones with positive tests for the PVY resistance marker(s) are kept for future evaluation.  ME also uses these DNA-based markers to select and advance PVY and golden nematode resistance potato germplasm.  Through its plant disease research, PA has identified candidate genes associated with late blight, early blight and common scab tolerance using genome-wide association studies.  The candidate genes were cloned and transferred into disease-susceptible varieties.  The transgenic plants continued evaluation for disease resistance in field trials during 2022.  Experiments in ME are being used to identify clones with resistance to pink rot, fusarium, and PBSR.  Caribou Russet from the Maine breeding program and several diploid clones from USDA-ARS at Beltsville have shown high levels of resistance to PBSR’s causative organisms, Dickeya dianthicola and Pectobacterium parmentieri.  These clones will be further investigated by genomic mapping.  Dihaploid breeding populations under development in ME will facilitate this process.   Field trials were conducted from ME to FL to help select promising potato clones that are worthy of commercialization.  Advanced clones from our project were introduced to growers through field days, presentations, publications, web sites, and direct contact with stakeholders.  Nine advanced clones were entered into tissue culture programs during 2022 leading to commercial seed production for continued research and development. Several advanced clones and newly released varieties are currently being evaluated in on-farm commercial-scale trials for their potential use across the US.  Two of NY’s recent chipping releases Waneta (NY138) and Lamoka (NY139) have been widely adopted by commercial growers.  Based on 2022 certified seed acreage, Lamoka ranks 8th among US varieties in certified seed production (3516 acres) and has replaced Snowden (1455 seed acres) as the standard storage chipping variety across the US. Waneta has also been widely adopted (1504 acres of seed in 2022, 17th ranked in the US) for chipping, fresh-cut fries, and fresh market.  We estimate that the annual value of potato chip production from Lamoka and Waneta exceeds one billion dollars (~15% of U.S. chip production).  Lady Liberty (NY152) was released for chipping during 2018 and has high yields, excellent chip color out of cold storage, PVY resistance, and common scab tolerance.  National seed acreage totaled 443 during 2022, ranking it 37th in the U.S. just four years after its release.   Twenty-six clones from the eastern states have been in the Potatoes USA fast-track chip program since 2011, and the programs supported under this grant have annually contributed up to 40% of clones in the Potatoes USA National Chip Processors Trials (NCPT).    Caribou Russet was released by ME during 2015 for fry processing and russet fresh market.  It has been rapidly adopted due to high yields, scab and verticillium resistance, and excellent consumer quality.  Certified seed acreage rose to 1874 acres (12th in the US) during 2022.  Caribou Russet’s cash farm value to ME seed growers was ~$6.6 M during 2022 and the estimated cash farm value when this seed crop is planted, grown, and sold in 2023 is ~$61M . It is also being evaluated and adopted in many other countries around the world.  Hamlin Russet (tested as AF4124-7) was released by ME during 2021 for early fry processing and russet fresh market.  It has moderate scab resistance.  Certified seed acreage rose to 304 acres (#46th in the US) during 2022.  AF5071-2, AF5406-7, AF5521-1, and AF5736-16 are advanced fry processing clones that are generating commercial interest, while 30 additional russeted French fry clones are currently being evaluated by North American potato processors.    For fresh market, NY released Upstate Abundance (NY150) and Algonquin (NY141) during 2017. Algonquin seed acreage totaled 49 during 2022, ranking it 118th nationally.  It is a white skinned, white-fleshed fresh market variety with high yields and good tuber appearance as well as resistance to common scab and golden nematode.  Upstate Abundance is a specialty white with very small, bright tubers. It has PVY, late blight, and golden nematode resistance as well as moderate common scab tolerance. It is being commercialized by specialty fresh market growers.  Upstate Abundance seed acreage totaled 61 during 2022, ranking it 107th nationally.  Genesee, another NY fresh market, round-white was produced on 112 seed acres during 2022 (ranked 75th).  NY released Brodie (NY140) during 2018 as a dual-purpose table and chipstock variety with excellent marketable yields, attractive tuber skin and excellent fry color out of cold storage. US seed acreage was 17 in 2022, ranking it 174th nationally.  It is the first U.S. cultivar with resistance to race Ro2 of the golden nematode and it is also resistant to race Ro1.  Ro1 is the long-time golden nematode pest in NY, while Ro2 is a newer race that has become increasingly difficult to manage in NY.   ME released Pinto Gold (AF4659-12, 2.6 acres, 256th) in 2018.  It is a pinto-type, yellow-fleshed ‘roasting’ variety that is being commercialized for small-scale local foods markets and has been favorably received in this high-value market.  Other fresh market releases Red Maria (2010, 28 acres, 145th), a high-yielding red, Lehigh (2007, 307 acres, 45th), a widely-adapted yellow-fleshed variety, and Peter Wilcox (2007, 4 acres, 244th), a novel purple-skinned, yellow-fleshed variety continue to be utilized by fresh market growers.  Lehigh has been quite successful as a fresh market variety due to its yellow flesh, high yields, common scab tolerance, and wide adaptation.     Each eastern breeding program submits its most promising advanced clones to the NE1731 regional project’s seed nursery in ME.  During 2022, the project distributed seed potatoes for 12 regional potato variety trials conducted in seven states and two Canadian provinces.  Eleven standard varieties and 27 experimental clones were tested for yield, tuber quality, and pest resistance. All trials were grown using standard commercial cultural practices. Marketable yield, tuber quality and appearance, maturity, storage life and processing potential were evaluated and compared to commercial standards.   The diverse environmental conditions present in the eastern U.S. allow us to quickly screen potato clones for stress sensitivity as well as for adaptation and suitability to specific growing areas and markets.  Multi-site evaluation of early-generation clones speeds the breeding and selection process and enables us to identify both broadly- and specifically-adapted clones that will be useful to the U.S. potato industry and potato growers at all scales of production.  FL continues to facilitate commercial adoption by conducting cultural management studies (e.g. seedpiece spacing, nitrogen fertilizer, and vine desiccation studies) on promising potato clones, so that growers receive the best possible production guidelines.  FL research conducted during 2022 focused on seedpiece spacing and time of harvest management for candidate high-value creamer varieties.  Considering yield and quality attributes the most promising NE1731 clones by market type were: chipping (MSAFB635-15, NY163, and NY165); fresh market whites (AF5280-5 and AF5819-2); russet and long-whites (AF5071-2, AF5406-7, and AF5521-1), reds and specialty (NDAF113484B-1).  Similar variety trials will be conducted during 2023 to further select clones to advance to commercial trials.  Each regional trial site reports results to their local stakeholders and submits their data to the project website coordinator located in NC.  The data are entered into a searchable database so that results are accessible to stakeholders and researchers anywhere in the world.    Our project web site and searchable database continues to grow in size and utility.  The database has now migrated to the more powerful and user-friendly Variety Data Management (VDM) platform (https://neproject.medius.re/).  The web site provides current contact information for project cooperators and recent research reports, as well as access to our searchable regional variety database and a dynamic summary generator for all released varieties. This new database can provide side-by-side comparative data for potato clones and varieties as well as advanced analytical tools. It is a valuable tool for researchers, Extension, and stakeholders.   New varieties and descriptions.   This project seeks, through activities coordinated across many Northeastern states, to develop potato varieties with improved agronomic, disease-resistance, and nutritional characteristics.  It is anticipated that improved potato cultivars will help maintain the viability of rural economies, reduce dependence on pesticides, and contribute substantially toward maintaining a secure, safe and nutritious food supply.   Advanced Experimental Potato Clones Showing Particular Promise in 2022 include:   <ul> <li>AF5071-2 (AF3011-29 x AF3051-2), a late maturing, russet with good fry quality, fair tuber appearance, and high yields. Specific gravity is higher than Russet Burbank and fry color from storage has been good.  Fry color uniformity is very good. It is moderately susceptible  to scab and hollow heart, but has moderate verticillium, blackspot, and shatter resistance.  It was a strong performer in the Potatoes USA National Fry Processing Trials.</li> <li>AF5280-5 (ND7791C-1 x ND860-2), an early, round to oblong white with good yields, large tubers, moderate-low gravity, good chip color, and good appearance. It could go for early fresh market.  It has good scab, bruise, hollow heart, pink rot, fusarium, and golden nematode resistance.  AF5280-5 is a good prospect to replace Superior in eastern markets.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>AF5406-7 (AF3317-15 x Silverton Russet), a late-maturing russet with good yields, large tubers, and resistance to late blight, scab, blackspot, shatter, verticillium, fusarium, and pink rot.  It will most likely be useful for processing market, but may also work for fresh market. It was a strong performer in the Potatoes USA National Fry Processing Trials.</li> <li>AF5412-3 (BCO01044-2 x Adirondack Blue), a mid-season, purple-skinned and purple-fleshed specialty clone with large oblong tubers, fair appearance.  Large tubers are prone to off shapes.  It has late blight and verticillium resistance.  Shatter bruise susceptibility is a concern.</li> <li>AF5521-1 (AF4320-7 x AF2291-10), a dual-purpose russet with large long-blocky tubers, medium-late maturity, high yields, high gravity, excellent fry color, and outstanding fry color uniformity.  It is resistant to golden nematode and moderately resistant to early blight, shatter, and blackspot. It was a strong performer in the Potatoes USA National Fry Processing Trials.</li> <li>AF5736-16 (AF3317-15 x Dakota Trailblazer), a dual-purpose russet with long, blocky, tubers, large size profile, and late maturity .  It has high yields when given a long season, high gravity, excellent fry color, and outstanding fry color uniformity.  It has moderate resistance to scab, late blight, blackspot, softrot, and verticillium.  It has had growth crack problems in some ME trials.   It is currently being evaluated in the Potatoes USA National Fry Processing Trials.</li> <li>AF5819-2 (Dakota Crisp x AF4552-5), a medium-maturing fresh market clone with bright skin, round tubers, high yields, low specific gravity, moderate scab resistance, medium-sized tubers, and good internal quality.  It also has pink rot, softrot, and shatter resistance. </li> <li>AF6194-4 (Waneta x AF4648-2), a medium-maturing fresh market clones with bright skin, high yields, moderate specific gravity, moderate scab resistance, large tubers, and good internal quality.  It also has resistance to PVY, bruise, and golden nematode. </li> <li>AF6206-3 (AF4386-16 x Lamoka), a medium-late-maturing chipper with high yields, good chip color, low internal defects incidence, and high specific gravity.  It has shatter bruise tolerance, moderate scab resistance, and golden nematode resistance.</li> <li>AF6206-5 (AF4386-16 x Lamoka) a medium-late-maturing chipping clone with high yields, low internal defects incidence, excellent chip color, and high specific gravity.  It has moderate external defects incidence being especially prone to growth cracks.  It has bruise tolerance, moderate scab resistance, and golden nematode resistance.</li> <li>AF6565-8 (WAF10139-19 x MSR127-2), a medium-maturing chipper with high yields, very good chip color, low internal heat necrosis incidence, and moderate to high specific gravity.  Hollow heart incidences has been a concern in several trials.  It has PVY resistance.</li> <li>AF6601-2 (NY121 x Lamoka), a medium-maturing chipper with high yields, low internal defects incidence, good chip color, and moderate to high specific gravity.  It has PVY, golden nematode, and late blight resistance along with good bruise tolerance.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>MSAFB635-15 (NYH15-5 x MSS297-3), a medium-late maturing chipper with high yields, high specific gravity, good chip color, netted skin, and fair tuber appearance. It has moderate resistance to verticillium, scab, and shatter.  MSAFB635-15 has potential for chipping in both southern and northern areas, but is probably best suited to out-of-field chipping. This clone is being evaluated in the Potatoes USA National SNAC chipping trials</li> </ul> <ul> <li>NC470-3 (Marcy X BNC182-5), a round to oblong PVY-resistant (Ryadg) chipper that has late vine maturity.  It has good out-of-field chip color, as well as moderate early and late blight resistance.  It is also resistant to PVY.  Specific gravity is typically within 2 to 4 points of Atlantic.   Marketable yields in NC have averaged 103% of Atlantic and 93% of Snowden. This clone will be evaluated in the future Potatoes USA National SNAC chipping trials as soon as seed can be made available.  NC470-3 was also evaluated in two, small commercial chipping trials during 2022.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>NDAF113484B-1 (ND060570B-1R x ND8555-8R), an attractive, mid-season, red with bright skin that holds its color well in storage. It has white flesh and mid-season maturity with moderate scab, shatter, and blackspot resistance. Tubers size and yields are typically similar to those of Dark Red Norland.  It has had low hollow heart incidence, but has had internal heat necrosis problems in several southern and mid-Atlantic trials.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>NY163 (E50-8 x E48-2), a medium-late maturing chipping clone with moderate to high specific gravity.  It has round to oblong tubers with a lightly textured skin. Yields have been high in many NY trials and are typically similar to Atlantic.  Specific gravity averages about 0.004 less than Atlantic.  It has exceptionally good chip color from storage and chips well from cold storage.  It has low incidence of external defects and low hollow heart incidence.  It has moderate scab resistance and is resistant to golden nematode (Ro1).  It recently completed evaluation in Potatoes USA National SNAC chipping trials throughout the US.</li> <li>NY165 (NY148 x F48-4), a mid-season, moderate to high specific gravity, chip stock clone.  It has round to oblong tubers with slightly netted skin. Yields have been high in many NY trials; however, specific gravity may not be high enough for commercialization outside the northeast.  Chip color from storage is very good.  It has moderate scab resistance and is resistant to golden nematode (Ro1) and PVY.  It is recently completed evaluation in Potatoes USA National SNAC chipping trials throughout the US.</li> <li>NY174 (NY148 x E48-2), a full-season, moderate to high specific gravity, chip stock clone.  It has round to oblong tubers with slightly netted skin. Yields have been high in many NY trials averaging 119% of Atlantic (8 trials).  Low levels of internal and external defects have been observed to date.   Chip color from storage is very good.  It has moderate scab resistance and is resistant to golden nematode (Ro1) and PVY.  It will be tested in the 2023 Potatoes USA National SNAC chipping trials throughout the US.</li> <li>NY177 (NY148 x E48-2), a mid- to late-season, high specific gravity, chip stock clone.  It has round to oblong tubers with slightly netted skin. Yields have been high in many NY trials averaging 119% of Atlantic (6 trials).  Low levels of internal and external defects have been observed to date.   Chip color from storage is very good.  It has moderate scab resistance and is resistant to golden nematode (Ro1) and PVY.  It will be tested in the 2023 Potatoes USA National SNAC chipping trials throughout the US. Short-term Outcomes:   <ol> <li>Eastern potato growers need new potato varieties which are highly productive and less susceptible to stress, diseases, and insects than current varieties. This regional potato breeding and trial network produces new potato varieties and evaluates their potential to serve fresh, processing, and specialty potato markets in the East.  These new varieties will improve grower profitability by increasing yields, enhancing market quality, and/or decreasing costs associated with pests.   Farm gates receipts for Eastern potatoes exceed $460M per year.  Potatoes can cost more than $3000 per acre to produce and devastating diseases such as pink rot and/or late blight can totally destroy the crop.  Resistant varieties greatly decrease the risk of losses and, in the case of late blight resistance and plant viruses, can reduce production costs by reducing the number of chemical sprays applied to protect the crop.  Several areas in NY could not produce potatoes without the golden nematode resistant varieties developed as part of this and other research projects.  Potato virus Y (PVY) has become increasingly difficult to control and seed producers have lost millions of dollars to this pest in recent years.  All of our breeding programs develop new plant materials with resistance or tolerance to one or more of these important plant pests.  As noted above, several of our advanced selections that are in or heading toward commercialization trials are resistant to one or more important pests.  Internal heat necrosis (IHN) is a common stress-related defect in the mid-Atlantic and southeastern U.S.  While several of our trial sites help our programs screen for this defect, NC provides an excellent screening site for selecting more stress-tolerate potato varieties.  In addition to field screening 567 NC clones for heat tolerance during 2022, NC also screened 338 clones from the other eastern potato breeding programs to assess heat tolerance and adaptation to the SE.  </li> </ol>   <ol start="2"> <li>Field trials were conducted from ME to FL to help select promising potato clones that are worthy of commercialization. Advanced clones from our project were introduced to growers through field days, presentations, publications, web sites, and direct contact with stakeholders.  Over the years, the eastern regional project has resulted in the release of many commercially important potato varieties (e.g. Algonquin, Atlantic, Andover, Brodie, Caribou Russet, Harley Blackwell, Keuka Gold, Lady Liberty, Lamoka, Lehigh, Marcy, Peter Wilcox, Pike, Pinto Gold, Red Maria, Upstate Adundance, Waneta, etc.).  Two of NY’s recent chipping releases Waneta (NY138) and Lamoka (NY139) have been widely adopted by commercial growers.  Based on 2022 certified seed acreage, Lamoka ranks 8th among US varieties in certified seed production (3516 acres) and has replaced Snowden (1455 seed acres) as the standard storage chipping variety across the US. Waneta has also been widely adopted (1504 acres of seed in 2022, 17th ranked in the US) for chipping, fresh fries, and fresh market.  We estimate that the annual value of potato chip production from Lamoka and Waneta exceeds one billion dollars (~15% of U.S. chip production).  Lady Liberty (NY152) was released for chipping during 2018 and has high yields, excellent chip color out of cold storage, PVY resistance, and common scab tolerance.  National seed acreage totaled 443 during 2022, ranking it 37th in the U.S. just four years after its release.   Twenty-six clones from the eastern states have been in the Potatoes USA fast-track chip program since 2011, and the programs supported under this grant have annually contributed up to 40% of clones in the Potatoes USA National Chip Processors Trials (NCPT).</li> </ol>   <ol start="3"> <li>Caribou Russet was released by ME during 2015 for fry processing and russet fresh market. It has been rapidly adopted due to high yields, scab and verticillium resistance, and excellent consumer quality.  Certified seed acreage rose to 1874 acres (#12th in the US) during 2022.  Caribou Russet’s cash farm value to ME seed growers was ~$6.6 M during 2022 and the estimated cash farm value when this seed crop is planted, grown, and sold in 2023 is ~$61M . It is also being evaluated and adopted in many other countries around the world.  Hamlin Russet (tested as AF4124-7) was released by ME during 2021 for early fry processing and russet fresh market.  It has moderate scab resistance.  Certified seed acreage rose to 304 acres (#46th in the US) during 2022.  AF5071-2, AF5406-7, AF5521-1, and AF5736-16 are advanced fry processing clones that are generating commercial interest, while 30 additional russeted French fry clones are currently being evaluated by North American potato processors.  Reveille Russet from TX  completed testing in NE1731 regional trials during 2021 and shows promise as a fresh market russet.  It now ranks 22nd in US seed potato production at 873 acres.</li> </ol>   <ol start="4"> <li>As evidenced above, the advanced clones and releases from the Eastern project continue to be commercially evaluated and adopted by farmers and our industry stakeholders. Recent Eastern releases were grown on 3373 ME and NY seed acres during 2022 with a seed value of ~$11.8M. The resulting seed crop has the potential to plant 33,731 acres in 2023 with a ware value estimated at $109.6M. Nationally, varieties released by our long-term project since 2007 were grown on 8240 seed acres during 2022 with an approximate seed value of $28.8M and potential 2023 ware production value of $267.8M. Several varieties developed though our collective efforts are in the top 100 U.S. varieties based on seed acreage, including (acres, rank): Lamoka (3516, 8), Caribou Russet (1874, 12), Waneta (1504, 17), Lady Liberty (443, 37), Lehigh (307, 45), Hamlin Russet (304, 46), Keuka Gold (121, 72), Genesee (112, 75), Reba (107, 79), Eva (84, 92), and Harley Blackwell (78, 98). Atlantic, released in 1971 by USDA-ARS Beltsville and selected by a predecessor of this project, remains the top publically-released, out-of-field chip potato variety in the US (2308 acres, rank 10th in US).</li> </ol>   <ol start="5"> <li>The project places special emphasis on breeding and selecting clones with resistance to late blight, early blight, scab, golden nematode races Ro1 and Ro2, and PVY. Advanced clones in our programs typically have resistance to several important potato pests and/or physiological disorders. As an example, Caribou Russet has resistance to verticillium wilt, common scab, soft rot, and powdery scab as well as excellent bruise resistance. Cornell releases typically have golden nematode resistance and scab tolerance, plus many recent releases also have resistance to PVY and late blight. Upstate Abundance (NY150), released in 2017, has resistance to late blight, common scab, PVY, and golden nematode.  Brodie (NY140) was released during 2018 and is the first U.S. cultivar with resistance to golden nematode race Ro2 and it is also resistant to race Ro1. Ro1 is the long-time golden nematode pest in NY, while Ro2 is a newer race that has become increasingly difficult to manage.  Golden nematode, a serious pest found in NY and in other countries, cannot be effectively managed without resistant varieties. All NY round whites, and most of the NY colored crosses, segregate for resistance to golden nematode Ro1 or Ro2, as do many crosses from the ME, NC and USDA programs. Marker-assisted selection for PVY and golden nematode resistance is now an integral part of our breeding programs. All advanced clones in the ME, NY, and NC potato breeding programs have been tested for the presence of DNA-based markers associated with PVY resistance. Our programs also use DNA-based markers (i.e. the H1 marker) to select for resistance to golden nematode.  Disease screening trials in PA, evaluated varieties and advanced breeding clones for early blight, late blight, and common scab resistance. ME also conducts screening studies for susceptibility to important potato diseases (e.g. verticillium wilt, common scab, softrot, pink rot, fusarium, PVY, etc.).  NY screens all of its advanced clones for common scab (field screening) and golden nematode (bioassay) resistance.  These data are used to select resistant varieties/breeding clones.  Disease resistant varieties generated by this project have the potential to greatly reduce growers’ losses to devastating diseases such as late blight and can also reduce production costs.</li> </ol>   <ol start="6"> <li>In addition to developing improved tetraploid potato varieties, our programs are advancing future potato breeding by participating in national efforts to implement diploid potato breeding. Diploid potato breeding will simplify the breeding and genetic improvement process and should speed future potato improvement.  During 2022, USDA-ARS conducted 102 successful 2x-2x diploid crosses resulting in 15055 seeds for future research.  NY has used pollination with IVP101 to generate candidate dihaploids from Brodie, Andover, and NY164 and these have now been grown out for further evaluation.  ME continues research on diploid potato breeding by developing primary dihaploid progeny using the IVP48 and IVP101 haploid inducers crossed to tetraploid potato (e.g. Atlantic, Caribou Russet, NY121, and fifteen other tetraploid clones).  ME currently has more than 436 primary dihaploid lines in tissue culture and field evaluated 339 primary dihaploids during 2022 to assess plant growth and tuber quality. Selected individuals will be used in future crosses to a male-fertile diploid parent in order to restore male fertility.  Phenotyping and genetic studies are underway to assess potato blackleg and soft rot disease (PBSR) resistance in the ME03 primary dihaploid population, derived from Caribou Russet. Preliminary data show that a number of ME03 primary dihaploid lines have promising resistance levels when inoculated with the PBSR-causing pathogen, Dickeya dianthicola.  These dihaploid populations will be useful for future breeding and for studies on inheritance of important potato diseases, such as late blight, PVY, and soft rot.</li> </ol>   <ol start="7"> <li>Our project web site and searchable database continues to grow in size and utility. The database has now migrated to the more powerful, user-friendly Variety Data Management (VDM) platform (https://neproject.medius.re/).  The web site provides current contact information for project cooperators and recent research reports, as well as access to our searchable regional variety database and a dynamic summary generator for all released varieties. This new database can provide side-by-side comparative data for potato clones and varieties as well as advanced analytical tools which help stakeholders and researchers determine which advanced clones are worthy of commercialization trials. Outputs:   <ol> <li> Cultivars released this year: </li> </ol>   <ul> <li>Our group did not release any new cultivars during 2022; however, commercialization of our recent releases continued as is summarized above.</li> </ul>   </li> </ol> </li> </ul>

Publications

<ol start="2"> <li> Publications:</li> </ol>   Refereed Journal Papers Fan G, Wang Q, Xu J, Chen N,  Zhu W,  Duan S, Yang X, De Jong WS,  Guo Y,  Jin L, Li G. 2022.  Fine mapping and candidate gene prediction of tuber shape controlling Ro locus based on integrating genetic and transcriptomic analyses in potato.  International Journal of Molecular Sciences 23:1470. https:// doi.org/10.3390/ijms23031470   Haynes KG, Qu XS, Bamberg J.  2022. Germplasm release: true potato seed (TPS) from a late blight resistant, long-day adapted diploid potato population that is segregating for early blight resistance. American Journal of Potato Research 99:321-325.   Hoopes G, Meng X, Hamilton JP, Achakkagari SR, de Alves Freitas Guesdes F, Bolger ME, Coombs JJ, Esselink D, Kaiser NR, Kodde L, Kyriakidou M, Lavrijssen B, van Lieshout N, Shereda R, Tuttle HK, Vaillancourt B, Wood JC, de Boer JM, Bornowski N, Bourke P, Douches D, van Eck HJ, Ellis D, Feldman MJ, Gardner KM, Hopman JCP, Jiang J, De Jong WS, Kuhl JC, Novy RG, Oome S, Sathuvalli V, Tan EH, Ursum RA, Vales MI, Vining K, Visser RGF, Vossen J, Yencho GC, Anglin NL, Bachem CWB, Endelman JB, Shannon LM, Strömvik MV, Tai HH, Usadel B, Buell CR, and Finkers R. 2022.  Phased, chromosome-scale genome assemblies of tetraploid potato reveals a complex genome, transcriptome, and predicted proteome landscape underpinning genetic diversity. Molecular Plant 15: 520-536. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molp.2022.01.003">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molp.2022.01.003</a>.   Krupek F, Zotarelli L, Sargent SA, Rowland DL, and Dittmar P. 2022. Vine desiccation timing strategies for enhanced harvest and storage quality of early-maturing potato cultivars. Potato Research. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11540-022-09550-3">https://doi.org/10.1007/s11540-022-09550-3</a> Xue WY, Haynes KG, Clarke CR, and Qu XS. 2022. Genetic dissection of early blight resistance in tetraploid potato. Frontiers in Plant Science 13:851538.   Xue WY, Haynes KG, and Qu XS. 2021. Resistance to Phytophthora infestans clonal lineage US-23 in potato cultivars and its relationship with early blight resistance and tuber yield. Plant Disease 105:3956-3966.   Published Abstracts Ekbataniamiri F, Ge T, Johnson SB, Larkin R, and Hao J. 2022. Investigating surface water in association with potato blackleg and soft rot. American Journal of Potato Research 100: #28. DOI: 10.1007/s12230-022-09868-1. (abst)   Zhang X, Ge T, Fan X, Chim BK, Johnson SB, Porter G, and Hao J. 2022. Impact of inoculation methods on potato tuber responses to Dickeya dianthicola infection. 2022 Annual Meeting of American Phytopathological Society, August 5 – 10, 2022. Pittsburg, PA. (abst)   Zotarelli L, Wade T, England GK, and Christensen CT. 2022. Development of nitrogen fertilizer strategies using yield goal for chipping potatoes. 11th World Potato Congress. Dublin, Ireland. P-008. p.127. <a href="https://wpc2022ireland.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Abstract-Book-WPC-2022_01.07.pdf">https://wpc2022ireland.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Abstract-Book-WPC-2022_01.07.pdf</a> (abst)   Other Publications Andrade, M.H.L., L.G. Pesantes, C.T. Christensen, L. Sharma, L. Zotarelli. 2022. Seed spacing recommendations for table-stock potato cultivars in Florida: HS1446, 09/2022. EDIS 2022 (6). https:// doi.org/10.32473/edis-HS1446-2022   De Jong, W.S. and M. Falise.  2022.  Cornell potato breeding program annual report.  18 pp. Clough, M. and G.C. Yencho.  North Carolina Potato Variety Trial and Breeding Report 2022.  47 pp. (available online at <a href="https://potatoes.cals.ncsu.edu/">https://potatoes.cals.ncsu.edu/</a>)   Clough, M. and G.C. Yencho.  North Carolina Potato Variety Trial and Breeding NE1731 State Report 2022.  12 pp. (available online at https://potatoes.cals.ncsu.edu/) Kleinhenz, M.D., J.M. Speicher, and S.D. Walker. 2022. 2022 Ohio Potato Germplasm Evaluation Report, Horticulture and Crop Science Series No. 887 November 2022, XX pp Porter, G.A., P. Ocaya, B. MacFarline, and B. Plummer.  2022.  Potato variety trial results in Maine, 2021 growing season.   SFA Research Report (posted on www and distributed to industry), 2021-01, 32 pp. Also available at https://neproject.medius.re Porter, G.A. and P. Ocaya.  2022.  Progress report on advanced potato variety testing and potato PVY research - 2021 Growing Season.  Report to the Maine Potato Board, February 2022, 9 pp.   Porter, G.A. and P. Ocaya.  2022.  Progress report on Maine potato breeding program – 2021 growing season.   Report to the Maine Potato Board, February 2022, 15 pp.     Qu X.S. and M.W. Peck.  2022.  Pennsylvania potato research report, 2021.  Penn State College of Agricultural sciences, January 2022.  (<a href="https://plantpath.psu.edu/research/areas/plant-disease-management/penn-state-potato-research-program/pennsylvania-potato-research-reports">https://plantpath.psu.edu/research/areas/plant-disease-management/penn-state-potato-research-program/pennsylvania-potato-research-reports</a>). 40 pp.    Qu XS, Xue WY, Peck MW. 2022. Evaluation of potato cultivars and breeding lines for resistance to late blight in Pennsylvania, 2021.  Plant Disease Management Reports 16:V030.   Qu XS, Xue WY, Peck MW. 2022. Evaluation of potato cultivars and breeding lines for resistance to early blight in Pennsylvania, 2021. Plant Disease Management Reports 16:V029.   Qu XS, Xue WY, Peck MW.  2022.  Field evaluation of potato cultivars and breeding lines for resistance to common scab in Pennsylvania, 2021.  Plant Disease Management Reports 16:V031   Torres Quezada, E. 2022.  Virginia potato variety trial report, 2022.  Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center, 26 pp.  Zotarelli, L. and P. Solano.  2022. Florida potato variety trial report, 2022. Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Volume 12. Zotarelli, L., T. Wade, G.K. England, C.T. Christensen. 2021. “Nitrogen fertilization guidelines for potato production in Florida: HS1429, 12/2021”. EDIS 2021 (11). <a href="https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-HS1429-2021">https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-HS1429-2021</a> Zotarelli, L., P.J. Dittmar, P.D. Roberts, J. Desaeger, B. Wells. 2021. Chapter 14. Potato Production: HS733/CV131, rev. 4/2021, EDIS 2021 (33). https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-cv131-2021   PRESENTATIONS: Clough, M. and C. Yencho. 2021. NC potato breeding and variety trials.  Northeastern regional potato meeting (via ZOOM). Dec 12, 2021.   Clough, M. and C. Yencho. 2022. NC potato breeding and variety trials.  Eastern shore agricultural conference.  January 27, 2022.   Clough, M. and C. Yencho. 2022. NC potato breeding and variety trials.  Annual NC Potato Association Meeting.  May 16, 2022.   Hao, J. 2022.  Understanding the outbreak of blackleg and soft rot of potato in NE US. PEI Potato Conference, Prince Edward Island, Canada, via Zoom. Mar. 30, 2022. Invited presentation.   Hao, J.  2022. Multi-tactic Strategies in Managing Potato Diseases.  Feb. 15, 2022. Online via Zoom.   Heroux, L.K., J. Hao, G.  Porter and E.H. Tan.  2022.  Disease phenotyping with Dickeya dianthicola isolate ME30, a causative agent of potato blackleg soft rot disease.  July 19, 2022, Potato Association of America Annual Meeting, Missoula, MT.   Porter, G.A. and P. Ocaya.  2022.  Progress report on potato variety trials and PVY research - 2021 Growing Season.  Report to the Maine Potato Board, Presque Isle, ME.  March 9, 2022.   Porter, G.A., P. Ocaya, and K. Brown.  2022.  Progress report on Maine potato breeding program – 2021 growing season.   Report to the Maine Potato Board, Presque Isle, ME. March 9, 2022.                     Porter, G.A., P. Ocaya, and K. Brown.  2021.  Progress report on potato variety research and potato breeding at the University of Maine - 2021 Growing Season.  Report to the NE1731 Eastern Regional Technical Committee, web-based meeting hosted by NCSU.  December 12 and 13, 2021.   Qu, XS.  2022.  Potato Research in PA and Penn State 2021. Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention, Hershey, PA, February 3, 2022.   Qu, XS.  2022. Potato Research at Penn State, 2022.  Potato Twilight field Meeting, Northampton County, PA, September 20, 2022.   Zhang X, Ge T, Fan X, Chim BK, Johnson SB, Porter G, and Hao J. 2022. Impact of inoculation methods on potato tuber responses to Dickeya dianthicola infection. 2022 Annual Meeting of American Phytopathological Society, August 5 – 10, 2022. Pittsburg, PA.   TOURS, FIELD DAYS, WORK SHOPS, TRADE SHOWS (INCLUDE DATES): Clough, M. 2021.  Annual NC Potato Association Field Tour – 5/15/22   Hao, J.  2022.  Potato plant pathology research.   Maine Potato Research Field Day, Aroostook Research Farm, Presque Isle, ME. Aug. 17, 2022.   Porter, G.A.  2022.  Potato breeding and variety development research.  Maine Potato Research Field Day, Aroostook Research Farm, Presque Isle, ME. Aug. 17, 2022   Qu, XS.  2022.  Potato Variety Demonstration Show, Penn State’s Ag progress Days, Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center, Centre County, PA, August 9-11, 2022.   Qu, XS.  2022.  Northampton Variety Demonstration Show, Country View Farm, Northampton County, PA, September 20, 2022.   Sharma, L., L. Zotarelli, S.K. Sidhu, F.R. Bortolozo. 2022. Determination of potassium requirement for potato. Handouts for UF/IFAS potato field day. 1p. 04/13/2022   Sharma, A.L., L. Zotarelli, C.T. Christensen, L. Sharma. 2022. Determination of sulfur requirement for potato. Handouts for UF/IFAS potato field day. 1p. 04/13/2022   Torres Quezada, E. 2022.  Virginia potato variety trial report, 2022. Vegetable and Strawberry Field Day - Wednesday, June 22, 2022 | 8:30 am 5:00 pm at the Eastern Shore AREC, Virginia Tech, Painter, VA.   Zotarelli, L., M. Resende, L. Hoffmann, C.T. Christensen, P. Solano. 2022. UF/IFAS Potato Breeding Program. Handouts for UF/IFAS potato field day. 1p. 04/13/2022   NEWSPAPER, RADIO, TELEVISION MEDIA ARTICLES: Porter, G.A. 2022.  E.W. Scripps Television Stations and Newsy online news.  Interviewed by Chris Conte, June 7, 2022 for a news piece on developing new climate change tolerant potato varieties.  Piece aired on-line in June 2022.     Porter, G.A. 2022.  Bangor Daily News (print and online news).  Interviewed by Paula Brewer (Bangor Daily News), May 4, 2022.  “An Aroostook farm is helping UMaine create climate-resistant potatoes”.  May 9 print edition plus online (link not available).        Porter, G.A. 2022.  Climate Central and the Bangor Daily News (print and and online news).  Interviewed by Caitlin Looby (Climate Central), March 10, 2022 and Lori Valigra (Bangor Daily News), April 6, 2022.  “The looming threat for Maine’s iconic potato industry”.  April 25 print edition plus online at https://bangordailynews.com/2022/04/25/business/warming-temperatures-drove-maines-potato-boom-theyre-also-a-threat-joam40zk0w/   Porter, G.A. 2022.  Wall Street Journal and online news.  Interviewed by Jennifer Levitz, March 11, 2022.  “Idaho needs potatoes, so Maine is chipping in”.  This article was also spun off into a Boston Globe article featured online:  Westward Ho! Maine potatoes travel far after western drought - The Boston Globe   Porter, G.A. 2022.  Compilation of interview materials developed by University of Maine was featured by World Economic forum showcasing efforts to improve the potatoes tolerance to climate change.  https://www.weforum.org/videos/24543-new-potatoes-bred-to-adapt-to-climate-change   Porter, G.A. 2022.  NewsCenter Maine –TV and online news.  Appeared on NewsCenter Maine TV and web-based news and was interviewed by Stephen Armstrong, news producer, February 17, 2022.  “2021 Maine potato harvest was highly successful and is opening new business opportunities”.  https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/money/economy/2021-maine-potato-harvest-highly-successful-opening-new-business-opportunities/97-cd5c1b0e-af0b-422a-a18e-a15a13ea87d7 Porter, G.A. 2021.  Maine Public –TV and online news. Appeared on Maine Public News Portland, ME news show and was interviewed by Robbie Feinberg, November 26, 2021.  “UMaine researcher are trying to create climate change resistant potatoes”.   Porter, G.A. 2021.  NBC News. Appeared on TV and online news following interview by Dustin Wlodkowski, NBC 10 , Boston, MA, November 23, 2021.  “UMaine develops climate change resistant potatoes”. Porter, G.A. 2021.  Bangor Daily News newspaper and online news following an interview by Sam Schipani, November 18, 2021.  “UMaine is creating a super potato”. Porter, G.A. 2021.  NewsCenter 2-TV, Presque Isle, ME. Appeared on NewsCenter 2, Portland, ME news show and was interviewed by Hannah Yechive, July 12, 2021.  “Condition of the Maine potato crop, water supply, and market conditions”.