Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

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

1. Han Tan provided on overview of the SCRI diploid potato project, a national effort to reinvent potato as an inbred diploid crop.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.

12. 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.

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 Ry_adg or Ry_sto 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 Ry_adg marker, 4% carry the Ry_sto 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 4^th 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, 16^th 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 120^th 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 99^th 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 33^rd 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:

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.
• 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.

• 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).
• 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

• 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

• 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. 

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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). 

Short-term Outcomes:

1. 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.

2. 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 4^th 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, 16^th 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).

3. 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 33^rd in US seed potato production at 435 acres.

4. 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 9^th in US).

5. 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. 

6. 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.

7. 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.

 Outputs:

1. Cultivars released this year:

• 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.

 In addition, commercialization of our recent releases continued as is summarized above. 

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.  https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH4448-19

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. 33^rd 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 17^th 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 – 16^th 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."