Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Administrative Advisor Kirby Stafford noted the change from CRIS reporting to REEPORT, training module is up now, your institution will have staff assigned to help make the transition to the new system. CRIS will eventually be discontinued. Multi-state projects will still be in NIMMS. Andy McGlinn, attending seed potato grower from Maine, emphasized the importance of developing pull from commercial markets. When a chip processor is enthusiastic about a variety it helps the seed growers decide which clones to invest in. It is important to limit the number of new clones to manageable levels. Mary Ellen Camire presented a report on the activities of the University of Maine Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition. They have two new faculty members doing research on fruits and vegetables. Faculty members in the department do work on potato glycoalkaloids, antioxidants, organic acids, acrylamide, phenolics, and sensory quality. Mark Clough provided an update on the project website: the process of including data is working well on his end. People are welcomed to provide input on improvements. Reports can be posted on the web site. The next NE1231 meeting will be held in early 2014 in Virginia Beach.

This multidisciplinary, regional project is designed to take advantage of the existing strengths and resources of the potato breeding community in the eastern U.S., 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 specific project is to identify new potato varieties for use in the mid-Atlantic and southeast US, which will contribute to a more sustainable and profitable potato industry. Most major varieties, including Atlantic (the dominant chipping variety in the US) as well as two recent chip potato varieties that have resistance to internal heat necrosis, Harley Blackwell and Elkton, have passed through this system. As such, the NE-1231 Project (and its predecessors 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); 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 most, if not all, of the major potato cultivars currently produced in the eastern U.S.

Potato breeding for improved quality and pest resistance was conducted in ME, NY, NC, and USDA-ARS Beltsville, MD during 2012. 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 (60% russets, 30% fresh and chipping whites, 10% specialty). ME emphasized research on late blight, pink rot, potato virus Y, and scab resistance. Several advanced clones and newly released varieties are currently being evaluated in commercial scale trials on-farm for their potential across the US. The most promising chipstock lines currently under evaluation include: AF0338-17, BNC182-5, Beacon Chipper, Dakota Crisp, Elkton, NC0349-3, Lamoka and Waneta. And, the most promising red-skinned tablestock clones are: Dark Red Chieftain, Red Maria, and NY136. All of these will be evaluated under variable commercial production conditions extensively during 2013 and onward.

Each eastern breeding program submits its most promising advanced clones to the regional projects seed nursery in ME. During 2012, the project distributed seed potatoes for 20 regional potato variety trials conducted in eight states and two Canadian provinces. Eleven standard varieties and 26 numbered clones were tested for yield, tuber quality, and pest resistance. NE1031 Regional potato variety trials were conducted at three ME locations during 2012. The regional trial sites (numbers of clones tested) were: Presque Isle (41), St Agatha (32), and Exeter (20). 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 2011-12 results, AF0338-17, AF4157-6, and NY148 were the most outstanding chipping prospects, AF4013-3 was a promising yellow-fleshed, specialty clone, while Modoc was the best performing red-skinned clone. Classic Russet, AF3362-1, and AF3001-6 were the top performing russeted clones.

In terms of sharing information, our project web site and interactive searchable database, which is updated regularly, (see: http://potatoes.ncsu.edu/NE.html) 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 projects including the new USDA NIFA SCRI potato acrylamide mitigation project and the USPB 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 .

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.

Elkton is a medium to medium-late maturing potato variety with netted-skinned, round-oblong tubers, and white-flesh. Average marketable yields ranged from 76% to 113% of Atlantic. Elkton was released by the USDA-Beltsville program in November 2012. Elkton has been extensively tested by the NE1231 network, chip color processed directly from the field in southern locations or from storage in the northern locations is about the same as Atlantic. Elkton is resistant to internal heat necrosis. Overall baked, boiled and microwaved scores have been good. Elkton is moderately resistant to common scab, early blight, and Verticillium wilt; intermediate to moderately susceptible to late blight; moderately susceptible to powdery scab; and, susceptible to potato virus Y and potato virus S. Project milestones for 2012, and progress related to each of these, follow:

Conduct breeding, germplasm enhancement, and selection studies to improve potato productivity and quality for important eastern U.S. markets. Breeding: The spring crossing block was focused on making 4x-2x pollinations among yellow-fleshed tetraploid S. tuberosum (tub) and orange-fleshed diploid S. phureja-S. stenotomum (phu-stn) to enhance the carotenoid content in tub. In all, 36 crosses were successful, generating 976 seed. In addition, crosses were made between tub and hexaploid S. albicans or S. iopetulum to incorporate the nitrogen uptake efficiency of these hexaploid species into tub. A total of 37 crosses were successful, generating 7465 seed. Also, crosses were made between diploid phu-stn and S. chacoense (chc) to incorporate the nitrogen uptake efficiency of chc into long-day adapted phu-stn. A total of 90 crosses were successful, generating 40,700 seed. The summer crossing block was focused on chipping ability in tub. A total of 92 crosses were successful, generating 34,800 seed. In addition, 4x-2x or 2x-4x crosses were made between tub and cycle three late blight resistant phu-stn clones. A total of 12 crosses were successful, generating 121 seed. Seed nurseries were established on Aroostook Farm for yellow-flesh and orange-flesh. Approximately 290,000 seed were collected from 44 open-pollinated orange-flesh phu-stn parents and 33,000 seed from 15 open-pollinated yellow-flesh phu-stn parents. Selection: Seed from all clones in the second field generation (12-hill stage) were harvested for distribution to cooperators in FL, NC, PA, NY and ME for an early generation study (sixth year this was done). Seed from more advanced field generations (third and higher) were distributed to cooperators as requested.

Use of novel and highly improved potato germplasm to reduce the impact of economically important potato pests in the eastern U.S. Late blight: Mini-tubers were produced for the cycle four diploid phu-stn late blight resistant population. Tubers from 20 seedlings from each of 72 families were paired, with one to be sent to Mexico for evaluation in 2013 and the other to be planted in Maine. Three segregating families, consisting of 41 clones total, involving a late blight resistant selection of S. hougasii (6x) obtained from Chuck Brown (ARS-WA) were evaluated for foliar late blight in PA in 2012. Twenty-one of these clones were significantly more resistant to late blight than Atlantic. Of the 105 clones selected from crosses between (Beltsville clones x CIP clones with horizontal late blight resistance to late blight) and (Beltsville clones x cold chipping tub-gryl hybrids from ARS-WI), 27 had specific gravity greater than 1.080 and chip color from Jan 50F storage less than 7.0. All clones were harvested and tubers sent to PA for late blight evaluations in 2013. Scab: Clones from Per McCords IHN mapping population were evaluated for resistance to common scab in ME. The population appears to be segregating for resistance. Short-term Outcomes: Potatoes can cost more than $3,000 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 such 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. 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. 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). Peter Wilcox, a purple-skinned yellow-fleshed specialty variety from the USDA-ARS program, and Lehigh, a yellow-fleshed dual-purpose variety from NY, are two of the more recent releases from the eastern programs. Lamoka (NY139), Waneta (NY138), and Red Maria (NY129) are three 2010-2011 releases that are attracting commercial interest. Elkton (B1992-106) was released in 2012, while AF0338-17, AF3001-6, and AF3362-1 are slated for 2013 release. Potato seed multiplication and commercial adoption are slow processes, so it will take years to know the full impacts of these varieties on eastern potato production. To facilitate the adoption process, ME coordinated 16 commercial-scale trials representing 11 new potato varieties (4 chippers, 3 russets, 2 reds, and 2 specialty market yellow fleshed) and 156 acres during 2012. Additional commercial trials were conducted in the other participating states. AF0338-17, AF3001-6, and AF3362-1 were among the clones in these commercial trials. Additional commercial trials were conducted in the other participating states. If these varieties perform well their production will expand over time. Depending on the characteristics of the specific potato variety, the potential benefits of adoption include new marketing opportunities, more efficient processing, higher yields, better nutritional value, reduced pesticide costs, and less risk of losses to stress, diseases, and pests. No cultivars were released this year (Elkton was released outside the time frame of this report - see above - impact will be documented in next report).

Haynes, K.G., D.M. Gergela, C.M. Hutchinson, G.C. Yencho, M.E. Clough, M.R. Henninger, D.E. Halseth, E. Sandsted, G.A. Porter, P.C. Ocaya. 2012. Early Generation Selection at Multiple Locations May Identify Potato Parents that Produce More Widely Adapted Progeny. Euphytica Vol 186 Issue 2: 573-583. Haynes, K.G., G.C. Yencho, M.E. Clough, M.R. Henninger, S.B. Sterrett. 2012. Genetic Variation for Potato Tuber Micronutrient Content and Implications for Biofortification of Potatoes to Reduce Micronutrient Malnutrition. American Journal of Potato Research, Vol 89 Issue 3: 192-198. Yencho, G.C. and M.E. Clough. 2012. North Carolina Potato Variety Trial and Breeding Report, 2012. NC State University, Raleigh, NC. 42pp. < http://potatoes.ncsu.edu/Reports.html Porter, G.A., G.S. Grounds, and T.Mills 2012. Variety trial and breeding program results. Proceedings of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Potato Conference, Caribou, ME. January 19, 2012 (abst). Porter, G.A., P. Ocaya, B. MacFarline, and B. Plummer. 2012. Potato variety trial results in Maine, 2012 growing season. PSE Departmental Mimeo 2012-01, 42 pp. Porter, G.A., P. Ocaya, and T. Mills. 2012. Maine potato breeding program annual report, 2012 growing season. PSE Departmental Mimeo, 20 pp. Technical Articles or Reports, not refereed Halseth, D.E., Sandsted, E.R., MacLaury, R.L., and Kelly, J.M. 2013. 2012 Upstate New York potato variety trials and cultural practice experiments. Cornell University, Department of Horticulture Report No. 76, 46 pages. Halseth, D.E., Sandsted, E.R., Hymes, W.L., MacLaury, R.L., and Kelly, J.M. 2012. 2011 Upstate New York potato variety trials and cultural practice experiments. Cornell University, Department of Horticulture Report No. 70, 51 pages. D. Gergela. L. Zotarelli. 2012. Florida Potato Variety Trial Report, 2011. University of Florida, Horticultural Sciences Department. Report. 231 pages.