Defining cultural management recommendations for six russet potato cultivars

Alejandro  de Jesus Cruz

doi:10.7273/000003986

Older, mainstay potato varieties like Russet Burbank (RB) are declining in acreage due to inefficiencies, disease, and physiological disorders. However, newer sustainable varieties are being released and accepted by consumers and growers. Clearwater Russet (CWR), Mountain Gem Russet (MGR), Castle Russet (CR), Ranger Russet (RAN), and Umatilla Russet (UMA) are five recent releases from the Northwest Potato Variety Development Program, which encompasses several institutions: University of Idaho, Oregon State University, Washington State University, and the USDA-ARS. Despite a decline in acreage, RB maintains its status as the industry standard, cultural management research tends to favor this variety. Hence, refining existing cultural management practices for newer russet cultivars is crucial to maintain or improve grower returns and keep the industry competitive. To refine or develop cultural management recommendations, research trials near Othello, WA were established. MGR and CR were grown with four rates of nitrogen (N) (150, 250, 350, and 450 lbs/A N) during 2015-17 and were also examined for their response to five in-row spacing treatments (8, 10, 12, 14, and 16) during 2017-18. CR, CWR, MGR, RAN, RB, and UMA were grown with four rates of phosphorus (P) (125, 250, 375, and 500 lbs/A P2O5) during 2017-18. All trials, were arranged in an RCBD with four replications. Petiole and soil samples taken in-season were used to track the effects of P and N on growth and development. The effects of P rate on fry color and Tuber P content (highest and lowest P rates only) were assessed. Mock fresh-pack and processing contracts were used to determine economic value. Fresh and process market returns for MGR were maximum at 310 and 325 lbs/A respectively, compared with 380 and 350 lbs/A N for CR, respectively. Fresh market gross return was highest when MGR and CR were spaced 8 inches in-row. Process market gross return was maximized when seed were spaced at 12 inches in-row for CR and 13.5 inches for MGR. P rate had no significant effect on yield or economic return for any of the varieties. CWR, CR, and UMA tubers from the highest P treatments tended to fry darker than those from the lowest P treatments. Tuber tissue P content was significantly higher in tubers grown with 500 lbs/A P compared with 125 lbs/A P.

Defining cultural management recommendations for six russet potato cultivars

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