Utilizing old potatoes for summer chipping

Tubers of Kennebec, Netted Gem and four seedlings treated with MH30 made acceptable chips after storage for 9 months at 55 F. After treatment with CIPC and storage at 46 F for nine months tubers of Kennebec and three seedlings made chips of acceptable colour; at 52 F Kennebec and two seedlings were acceptable. When reconditioned at 70 F for two weeks after storage at 40, 46 and 52 F, CIPC-treated samples of Kennebec made acceptable chips, plus one seedling from 40 F, two from 46 F and one from 52 F.     

Mainechip: A new chipping potato variety for cool storage processing

TheMaineChip potato variety is medium-maturing and has round, whiteskinned, white-fleshed tubers with shallow eyes, high specific gravity and moderate yields. Its major use is expected to be as a storage chipping variety since sugar build-up in storage is slow, and reconditioning is possible. This variety can be chipped directly from 7 C storage.MaineChip does not show the net necrosis caused by potato leafroll virus and is moderately tolerant to verticillium wilt (Verticillium alboatrum) and rhizoctonia (Rhizoctonia solani). It is also moderately resistant to blackspot and shatter bruise. Hollow heart is its major internal quality defect, being a problem in ten of the twenty-nine regional tests conducted over five years.     

Monticello: A mid-season variety with good tuber appearance and chipping potential from mid-to long-term storage

Monticello (NY102), a new medium-maturing, roundwhite chipping variety was released in 2003 by the University of Maine and Cornell University. It is primarily intended for use in the chipping industry, especially from mid-to long-term storage. Its ability to chip from relatively long-term storage, low storage weight loss, and relatively long tuber dormancy should be particularly valuable. Tubers have shown a good ability to recondition and regain good chip color after periods of stress in storage. Monticello’s specific gravity typically averages only a few points lower than Atlantic, a variety that is widely used for out-of-field chipping in the eastern U.S. Chip color of Monticello has been very good from short-, mid-, and long-term storage. It has been grown successfully in commercial-scale tests in Maine since 1999 with combined seed and chipping production of more than 37 and 60 ha during 2001 and 2002, respectively. Research and commercial-scale trials in Maine have generally produced favorable yield and quality results relative to other storage chippers like Snowden. The tubers are bright and attractive with relatively few external defects. Tuber size tends to be fairly small and is ideal for chipping. Sensory panel tests have also shown that Monticello is good for boiling and baking. Although ideally suited for chipping, the fresh market may serve as a secondary market for this variety because of its typically good external appearance and cooking quality scores. Monticello has moderate to good common scab resistance and is resistant to golden nematode. It is moderately susceptible to blackspot bruise, powdery scab, and typical foliar diseases of potato. Although tubers can develop hollow heart and internal heat necrosis, Monticello is typically much less susceptible than Atlantic.     

Evaluation of potato cultivars before and after storage regimes for chipping

An experiment was conducted beginning in 1969 to determine the chipability of several cultivars of potato (Solarium tuberosum) grown under similar cultural regimes at different locations throughout Ohio. The experiment included 19 cultivars and 11 locations. The tubers from a particular location were harvested and transported to the laboratory where a portion was chipped and other portions were stored at 40,45,50, and 55°F for 3 and 6 months and subsequently chipped. The chips were analyzed for color both objectively using the Agtron M-30-A and subjectively using the PC/SFA color chart. In addition, specific gravity and count were also determined before storage. Not all cultivars were included for the duration of the experiment as they proved consistently superior or inferior in the early stages of the experiment or they were unavailable. Also, not all locations were included each year due to non-availability of acreage. The data indicate that there was a high degree of variability among cultivars and growers. They also indicate considerable variability among years of production although good cultivars were rated highest within seasons. Most notable was the variability among locations; the variation from one location to another was often as great as that among cultivars. Storage difference was pronounced as expected due to temperature regimes.     

Niska: A maincrop chipping potato cultivar with high specific gravity and good quality after storage

Niska is a white-skinned, white-fleshed potato cultivar with a maincrop maturity, stable yield and chipping quality and good storage characteristics. It has considerable resistance to Common scab, Early blight, PLRV, PVY and PVS. Evaluation conducted by chip processors in Alberta and Ontario, under commercial conditions, indicates that the cultivar has good storage characteristics.     

The genetic basis for tuber greening in 24-chromosome potatoes

Greening of potato (Solarium tuberosum L.) tubers is often a problem in retail markets. An experiment was performed to study the mode of inheritance of tuber greening in 24-chromosome potatoes. Tuber greening was determined to be quantitatively inherited. Genetic and environmental variance components were calculated. Tuber greening inheritance is due to additive and epistatic effects. Epistatic effects accounted for 59% of the genetic variance. No dominance or maternal effects were observed. Narrow sense heritability was 0.27 and broad sense heritability was 0.66 after location, block, and genotype by environment interactions were removed. Broad sense heritability for tuber greening is large enough to permit effective selection against tuber greening in potato breeding programs when epistasis can be fixed.     

A plot planter for potatoes

A planter was modified for improved flexibility for planting experimental potato plots. The resulting plot planter is a two-row implement that can be adjusted for individual row seed piece spacing and fertilizer rate settings. Hoppers on the planter are equipped with clean-out doors. Uniformity of seed piece spacing was quantified by determining the number of skips and doubles and the coefficient of variation of spacing during planting. The results indicate that the planter performed well when compared to either an older plot planter or to commercial planters.     

A new source of haploid germplasm for genetic and breeding research

Haploids were obtained from six tetraploid clones that were selected based upon either high or low specific gravity and low glucose accumulation during storage. Atlantic, Redsen, Red Pontiac, W 710, W 760 and W 842 had frequencies of 20.2, 13.9, 3.8, 6.3, 9.8 and 9.3 haploids/100 fruit, respectively. A total of 702 haploids was produced from: Atlantic (470), Redsen (54), Red Pontiac (2), W 710 (1), W 760 (134) and W 842 (11).     

A canopy development model for potatoes

Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) in Wisconsin are predominately grown on soils that have a high potential for agrichemical leaching. Weed control strategies are not designed for season long control from a single high rate herbicide application but for reduced rates combined with mechanical and cultural strategies. The current recommended herbicide rates provide 7–9 weeks of efficacy. Mechanical measures provide effective early season control, but development of crop canopy prevents cultivation after about four weeks. Past studies have shown that shade levels comparable to those in a potato canopy can significantly reduce weed biomass. This study was initiated to develop a canopy development model and evaluate the difference between Superior and Russet Burbank potatoes. Plots were established in 1988–1992 at the Hancock Agricultural Research Station on Plainfield loamy sand (mixed, typic Upsidaments). Light readings were taken both under the crop canopy and in full sunlight to determine the amount of shading provided by the crop. Physiological Degree Days (P-days) were used to monitor the development of the potato varieties. Regression analysis was used to determine if P-days could be used as a predictor for canopy development. Superior reached maximum canopy (88% shade) at seven weeks after emergence (WAE) and maintained it until 9 WAE. Russet Burbank reaches maximum canopy at 8 WAE (98% shade) and maintains shading above 80% until 13 WAE. The canopy model is an empirical relationship estimated using regression techniques, and is currently being utilized in a weed management module for the WISDOM © software program.     

Gas chromatographic studies on the suitability of irradiated potatoes for storage and processing

Summary In two series of experiments, batches of potatoes, some treated by irradiation and some with chemical sprout inhibitors, were processed into chips on an industrial scale after 7–8 months of storage. The quality of the chips and of the stored fresh potatoes was related to gas chromatographic analyses of sugar and acid contents. It was found that only the irradiated potatoes in which the content of fructose and glucose at the time of processing amounted to not more than 0.07% each of the fresh weight, yielded marketable chips of good quality. If the concentrations of reducing sugars were as low as this, then the rate of rotting was also very low, even in the irradiated batches. Shipment of the potatoes by truck over a distance of approximately 300 km after irradiation had no detectable deleterious effect.     

Rosa: A new golden nematode resistant variety for chipping and tablestock

Rosa is a golden nematode resistant variety with chipping potential comparable to Norchip and with good cooking quality. It is resistant to early blight and leaf roll, and moderately resistant to late blight. Rosa is a hybrid between North AmericanSolarium tuberosum ssp. and South AmericanS. tuberosum ssp.Andigena clones.     

Estimation of genetic variance components and heritability for tuber dormancy in diploid potatoes

Genetic variance components for tuber dormancy in an interpopulation hybrid betweenSolanum tuberosum (Group Phureja) and (Group Stenotomum) were estimated using a N.C. Design II mating plan. The genetic variance estimate was high and was composed entirely of additive variance. The estimate of narrow sense heritability was. 73. The results indicated that significant progress can be made in shifting the mean length of tuber dormancy by simple mass selection techniques.     

A model describing soil-plant-water relations for potatoes

A simple steady state model is derived which describes the diurnal water potential fluctuations in leaves and tubers of potatoes. The magnitude of these fluctuations is shown to depend on transpiration rate, hydraulic properties of the soil, rooting depth and density, resistance to flow of water within the plant, and the leaf water potential at which stomatal closure occurs. Model predictions agree quite well with measurements made in the field and in the growth chamber. The model is used to predict the lower limit of readily available moisture for potatoes and shows the important environmental and plant factors.     

A sampling method for slices of potatoes

Summary The variation in dry matter content and other variables is as a rule large between potato tubers of the same lot. In order to find methods for using small samples this experiment was carried out. From each of 200 tubers 3 slices were cut and used as 3 populations the relationships of which were statistically analysed. The results show that this method makes it possible to estimate the dry matter content in one slice by the value of another slice from the same tuber with fairly good precision. The value of the standard deviation is smaller for the slice samples than the one obtained in investigations of tuber samples. For the same number of observations, therefore, the mean value of the sample is estimated with better precision using slices. On the other hand the differences between the slice and tuber samples must be seriously considered when the results are applied.