Montana Seed Potato Crop
By Nina Zidack, Montana Seed Potato Certification
The summer of 2019 proved to be cooler than average. With mild conditions, there was very little stress to crops throughout the state, and growers report very strong yields and good quality. Some growers received hail in August, but most crops were far enough along that yield was not reduced dramatically. Montana growers were also fortunate to have about 95 percent of their potatoes harvested before a severe freeze.
Seed potato acreage has held very steady over the past 10 years at just over 10,000 acres. In 2019, Montana seed potato acreage was up slightly to 10,440 acres compared to 10,355 acres in 2018. Russet Burbank is still the dominant variety, but is down slightly from 3,921 in 2018 to 3,786 acres in 2019. Umatilla Russet is the second most widely produced variety in Montana, but has dropped from 1,789 acres in 2017 to 1,376 acres in 2019. Ranger Russet acreage is up from 1,172 acres in 2018 to 1,284 acres in 2019. Clearwater Russet acreage continues to rise and is up from 1,016 acres in 2018 to 1,211 in 2019. It is now firmly in fourth place in terms of Montana seed acreage, displacing Alturas from the top five varieties two years ago. Russet Norkotah selections were up from 997 in 2018 to 1,116 acres in 2019. Alturas rebounded slightly last year, increasing from 558 acres in 2018 to 623 acres in 2019. Standard Norkotah acreage remains very low and now accounts for only 41 acres in Montana.
Norland and Dark Red Norland are the most widely grown colored varieties in Montana at 110 acres combined. Traditionally, chip varieties have not been widely grown in Montana in the past, but are currently increasing with Atlantic, Snowden and Lamoka together making up 99 acres of Montana seed. There are a total of 55 varieties of potatoes registered for certification.
Oregon Seed Potato Crop
By Jeff McMorran, Oregon Seed Certification Service
The Oregon Seed Certification Service had a fairly average year in 2019, accepting 2,729 acres of seed potatoes for certification and certifying 2,683 acres. This was a slight decrease from 2018 when 2,925 acres were certified. Lots not accepted for certification had either been withdrawn for poor stands or for lack the grower approval by the variety owner for a proprietary variety.
Russet white-fleshed varieties for processing or fresh market made up the bulk of Oregon production in 2019; however the yellow-skinned, yellow-fleshed variety Gala was the number one variety certified in Oregon with 269 acres, followed by an assortment of Frito-Lay varieties at 330 acres. Specialty red, purple and yellow-fleshed varieties, as well as some interesting new fingerling varieties, continue to gain a foothold in Oregon seed production areas. A complete listing of the varieties and acres produced in Oregon, as well as field readings, can be found online at seedcert.oregonstate.edu/potatoes.
None of the acres entered for certification in 2019 were downgraded or rejected due to disease or off-type (as per the field inspections). Summer field readings for disease were low. White mold levels were higher than in 2018; however, very little blackleg was observed. Mosaic levels observed in the field remained low. Growers have reported average, or slightly lower, yields. In some cases, expected sizing profiles were reduced. Heavy hail damage in August reduced yields in some areas.
Harvest inspectors reported good overall tuber quality with relatively few internal issues. Higher levels of soft rots were observed in some areas that experienced fall rains. Oregon’s post-harvest testing is conducted in greenhouses in pasteurized media-filled trays. These conditions, which generally lack any adverse environmental conditions or insect damage, are ideal for detection of the more mild mosaics and commonly results in near 100 percent readable stands. Tubers are able to be planted in only two weeks after a gibberellic acid treatment and warming. This allows readings four to six weeks earlier than our previous system of direct soil planting with tubers cut only after sprouting was observed.
Idaho Seed Potato Crop
By Alan Westra, Idaho Crop Improvement Association
Idaho experienced a somewhat challenging growing season in 2019. Planting began at the normal time, but was interrupted by a 10- to 14-day period of rain. Additionally, late frosts and cooler temperatures delayed the development of crops planted before the rain. However, heat later in the season helped the crop catch up.
Some growers are reporting average to good yields, while others are reporting lower than average yields. Quality going into storage is reported as good to excellent. Overall, the 2019 crop appears to have a very nice size profile. Seed health is steady from 2018. The number of seed lots with visually detectable levels of <<<Potato virus Y>>> (PVY) in the field increased only slightly compared to 2018, and there were no bacterial ring rot detections during field inspections.
At the conclusion of the second round of field inspections, a total of 29,974 acres are eligible for final certification in 2019. This is essentially unchanged from 2018. Excluding proprietary genetics, the 2019 acreage accepted for certification represents a total of 119 varieties, selections and advanced clones. For 2019, the top varieties were Russet Burbank (39 percent of total acreage accepted), Russet Norkotah (all strains, 18 percent of total), Ranger Russet (12 percent), Clearwater Russet (5 percent), Alturas (4 percent) and Umatilla Russet (2 percent). Significant movement occurred in Clearwater, Alturas and Umatilla acreage (+38, +26 and -12 percent, respectively) compared to the 2018 crop. A complete listing of the seed potato crop is available in the 2019 Idaho Certified Seed Potato Directory, posted on the Idaho Crop Improvement, Inc. website at www.idahocrop.com.
Seed buyers should remember that the nomenclature used to describe Idaho seed potato generations was changed to a “field year” system, effective with the 2019 crop. This nomenclature is similar to that currently used by a number of other certification programs and is intended to promote standardization and transparency within the seed potato industry by designating generations by the actual number of years that the seed has been produced in soil. There are no changes to the tolerances associated with the various field generations.
Washington Seed Potato Crop
By Benita Matheson, Washington State Department of Agriculture
A total of 3,570 acres of seed potatoes were entered for certification during the 2019 growing season. This is a 111-acre decrease from 2018. The top four varieties grown were Ciklamen (576 acres), Chieftain (387 acres), Russet Burbank (349 acres) and Umatilla Russet (228 acres). The total acres planted include 179 different potato varieties grown in partial-acre plots to 88-acre fields. Most seed lots are smaller than 20 acres in size and include numbered clones, table stock, processing and heirloom variety potatoes. The state saw 472 individual seed lots entered for certification from eight separate farms.
Pacific Northwest weather and Washington’s maritime climate, in particular, provided ideal growing conditions this season. Washington State Department of Agriculture staff noted that late blight and blackleg disease pressure was slight to non-existent.
Harvest began the third week of September, with rains and other factors slowing harvest for a time. Harvest was complete by late October. Growers enjoyed average to above-average yields with generally good quality, size and condition of seed lots going into storage. Seed shipments to southern climates began in late fall and continues into the winter months, with the majority of seed to be shipped in early spring.
Washington state certified seed growers submitted seed lot samples for the post-harvest test, which is taking place, for the first time, at the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii.
Colorado Seed Potato Crop
By Andrew Houser, Colorado Potato Certification Service
The 2019 Colorado growing season was a bit cooler than normal. It was preceded by an above-average snowpack in the mountains surrounding the San Luis Valley, which was a welcome change from the record-setting drought the previous year.
All field-grown certified seed in Colorado is produced in the San Luis Valley, at an elevation of 7,600 feet. Overall yields were average or slightly below average, due in part to an abnormally cool May and June.
Certified seed growers submitted their samples for the post-harvest test, which takes place on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii. A post-harvest test is required on all certified seed, whether it is sold commercially or for recertification. An official 2019 certified seed directory is posted online at potatoes.colostate.edu/potato-certification-service. Information on Colorado’s certified seed can be found at www.coloradocertifiedpotatogrowers.com.
In 2019, Colorado certified seed potato acreage eligible for sale was down from 8,813 acres in 2018 to 6,756 acres. The accepted certified acreage after summer field inspections was 6,180 acres. Rejections were primarily the result of <<<Potato virus Y>>> (PVY)/mosaic, with a few rejections caused by blackleg and variety mix. Total potato acreage (both certified and commercial) in the San Luis Valley was 48,573 acres, down from 51,785 acres in 2018. The 2019 top five certified potato varieties are Russet Norkotah selections, Canela Russet, Teton Russet, Alegria and Centennial Russet.
The Colorado Seed Act and Late Blight Quarantine requires all seed lots imported into Colorado undergo a post-harvest test and a 21-day late blight incubation test which needs to take place prior to shipment. Also, a PVYN tolerance of 1 percent is in place for all seed coming into Colorado. For testing specifics, visit potatoes.colostate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Late-Blight-Quar-2014.pdf.
