WERA_OLD27: Potato Variety Development
(Multistate Research Coordinating Committee and Information Exchange Group)
Status: Inactive/Terminating
WERA_OLD27: Potato Variety Development
Duration: 10/01/2000 to 09/30/2005
Administrative Advisor(s):
NIFA Reps:
Non-Technical Summary
Statement of Issues and Justification
The western states represented by WCC-27 produced approximately two-thirds of all potatoes grown in the U.S. in 1998. The predominant variety for many decades, both for processing and fresh markets, has been Russet Burbank, which accounted for 65% of the western U.S. potato acreage in the early 1980s but only 50% 1998. This slow steady decline in Russet Burbank has been offset, not by one variety but by the increased use of many newer varieties. These include Ranger Russet, Umatilla Russet, Shepody, Russet Nugget, Russet Norkotah, and several clonal selections of Russet Norkotah. Chipping varieties, fresh market red-skinned and fresh market white-skinned varieties have also seen some shifts from one or two dominant varieties to numerous varieties, each with improved adaptation to different growing, storage or processing conditions, or market preferences. An increase has occurred in acreage of Snowden and Frito Lay varieties; CalWhite has replaced White Rose as the dominant long white for fresh market; Dark Red Norland and Red LaSoda still dominate the red-skinned varieties, but new releases from the western region indicate the probability of changes. An increase in yellow-flesh acreage, primarily Yukon Gold variety, has occurred in recent years in response to increased market demand; breeders in the western region have increased emphasis on yellow-flesh varieties. Private European seed companies have begun to export yellow flesh varieties, which are common in Europe, to the U.S, facilitated by the opportunity to protect the rights to their seed.
(See attachment below for complete issues and justification)
Objectives
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Develop and exchange information on promising new potato selections among scientists and industry representatives.
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Provide uniform, high-quality seed to each participating state for all potato selections being evaluated in regional trials.
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Coordinate studies to optimize cultural management, disease and pest resistance, storage and processing characteristics that result in new potato selections that can be produced with minimal environmental impact and optimum usage under each participating states growing conditions.
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Strengthen linkages with potato processing and fresh pack industries involved in the development and acceptance of new potato selections and releases.
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Discuss major issues facing the scientific community and industry and develop recommendations for addressing those issues.
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Procedures and Activities
Expected Outcomes and Impacts
- he WCC-27 cooperative testing program will result in superior new potato cultivars for the western U.S. New cultivars will potentially improve production efficiency, reduce pesticide and fertilizer usage, reduce agrichemical contamination of water resources, contribute to the health of the western potato industry and local economies, and maintain reasonable potato prices to consumers throughout the U.S. It is anticipated that superior germplasm identified through these coordinated efforts will benefit other U.S. producing areas as well. Replacement for, or improvement of, Russet Burbank and Russet Norkotah are now achievable goals. New cultivars and advanced selections emanating from the WCC-27 are being used in western states. Ranger Russet, a cultivar which has significantly less hollow heart and brown center than Russet Burbank, is utilized for processing directly from the field or short term storage. Russet Norkotah clonal selections (strains) represent the majority of acres of that variety in several states. Other recent releases, including CalWhite, Gem Russet, Cherry Red, Bannock Russet and CalRed, have impacted fresh market. Continued development of improved chipping, fresh market and specialty is expected. The acres planted to WCC-27 developed varieties is expected to continue to rise.
Projected Participation
View Appendix E: ParticipationEducational Plan
Processing and fresh market industry representatives have a key role in developing, adapting and utilizing the information generated by the coordinated efforts of WCC-27. Cooperative Extension specialists and agents/advisors are integral participants in WCC-27. Regional trials are often located in grower cooperator fields for field day observations and programs. The continued participation in WCC-27 is indispensable to the success of the program.
Annual meetings are held on a rotating basis in Washington, Oregon, Idaho or Colorado in conjunction with each state grower conferences, and the NW Tri-State and the SW Regional groups annual meeting. Summaries of all regional trials are distributed and discussed. This allows and encourages dialogue among scientists, growers, extension and industry personnel.
Results of WCC-27 are published in the American Potato Journal, National Potato Germplasm Evaluation and Enhancement Report, State Experiment Station special reports, and other publications.
Organization/Governance
Administrative Advisor: Liaison with western university directors of the Agricultural Experiment Stations
Chair: Coordinates annual meetings
Secretary: Records annual meeting minutes
Subcommittee chair, Russet Trial: Coordinates and reports on russet variety trials
Subcommittee chair, Red Trial: Coordinates and reports on red-skinned
Variety trials
Subcommittee chair, Chipper Trial:Coordinates and reports on chipping variety Trials
Literature Cited