Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

• The effect of the Tri-State Potato Variety Development Program on the Northwest potato industry has been substantial. Ranger Russet, Umatilla Russet, Clearwater Russet, Alturas, and Bannock Russet are examples of russet cultivars released from the Tri-State program that have greatly benefited the United States and Northwest potato industry, being the 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th, and 12th most widely grown cultivars in the United States in 2018, respectively, with Tri-State varieties representing 31%, or 266,400 acres, of the fall crop nationally.
• Ranger Russet, Umatilla Russet, and Clearwater Russet were the 3rd, 4th, and 5th most widely grown cultivars in the Pacific Northwest (ID, OR, WA) in 2018, respectively, and accounted for 25% of the planted acreage. Varieties recently released by the Tri-State program are now produced on more than 160,900 acres in the Pacific Northwest with value to growers estimated at approximately $810 million. In the past 16 years, the US farmgate value of Tri-State varieties has increased by approximately $240 million.
• Acceptance of these varieties is supported by the agronomic information and postharvest testing conducted by the participants. Recommendations for cultivation and storage management are well developed before full release of each variety. Further, acceptability for processing is confirmed.
• Colorado cultivars and clonal selections accounted for 36% of the 7,858 acres of Colorado certified seed accepted for certification in 2018. Advanced Colorado selections accounted for another 2% of the seed acreage.
• Colorado State University releases accounted for 37% of the estimated 51,900 acres planted to fall potatoes in Colorado in 2017. Primary Colorado cultivars planted were Canela Russet (10.4%), Russet Norkotah-S8 (10.4%), Russet Norkotah-S3 (7.5%), Centennial Russet (4.3%), and Rio Grande Russet (4.2%).
• Four of the top 20 russet cultivars grown for seed in the U.S. [Silverton Russet (#7), Canela Russet (#11), Centennial Russet (#12), Rio Grande Russet (#18)] in 2018 were developed by the Colorado program. Twenty-nine percent of the Russet Norkotah acreage (including line selections) was attributed to Colorado Russet Norkotah Selections 3 and 8. For reds, Sangre and Colorado Rose ranked #7 and #11 respectively. For chips, Chipeta ranked #10. For colored-fleshed specialties, Purple Majesty and Mountain Rose ranked #1 and #2 respectively.
• The Texas Russet Norkotah selections (TXNS112, TXNS278, and TXNS296) collectively ranked third (in acreage) among the varieties accepted for seed certification in 2017. Russet Burbank and the Frito-Lay varieties ranked above these three selections. Certified seed of Russet Norkotah Texas clonal selections were planted in 7,500 acres in the USA in 2017 representing 7% of the national seed production, Certified seed acreage of the Texas Russet Norkotah strain selections continued to increase in 2018.
• The Texas Russet Norkotah strains continue to be the prevalent varieties planted in Texas. Potato yields in Texas remain among the highest in the nation (440-465 cwt/a) in the summer crop producing states.