KES- Potato Variety Introduction

The Oregon potato variety development program released Wallowa Russet, a dual-purpose, long russet selection in 2001. This high-yielding line, tested as AO87277-6, has excellent processing quality for French fry production and is less susceptible to tuber infection by late blight (Phytophthora infestans) than Russet Burbank. Two additional selections will be released as soon as adequate seed supplies become available. These include Willamette, an oval white-skinned chipping variety that produces good chip color out of cool storage. This selection, tested as AO91812-1, is medium-late maturing, produces high yields of medium-size tubers, and has low susceptibility to early blight (Alternaria solani) and net necrosis caused by potato leaf roll virus. The red-skinned selection, NDO4300-1R, is planned for release as Modoc. This early maturing, bright-colored selection produces intermediate yields with relatively small tuber size and few internal and external defects.

The Oregon program also participated in the development of a 2001 release from the Idaho program. Ivory Crisp was originally selected by the Oregon program. This round white chipping selection produces good chip color when processed from cool storage. It was discarded from the Oregon program for shatter bruise susceptibility. Commercial interest from eastern Idaho growers convinced the Idaho variety development program to pursue release.

The Klamath Experiment Station (KES) serves as a short-season trial site for screening of breeding lines after the second year of field production. In 2001, KES trials evaluated 95 selections in the preliminary yield trial, 20 entries in the statewide trial, and 18 selections in the western regional trial. The trials were conducted at a site 25 miles east of KES where well water was available for irrigation.

The Oregon potato variety development program produces about 65,000 seedling tubers annually in greenhouse culture from true seed produced at the USDA Agricultural Research Service potato breeding program at Aberdeen, Idaho. About 10,000 seedling tubers are also produced from Oregon State University's Department of Crop and Soil Science (CSS) crosses focusing on viral disease resistance.

First generation field screening of material derived from the Idaho breeding program is conducted at the Central Oregon Agricultural Research Center (COARC). Several hundred clones are typically retained annually for further evaluation. Selections saved are grown at COARC in 12-hill plots and at the Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center (HAREC) in 4-hill plots in the second year. Seed increase of surviving clones for further evaluation is derived from the COARC plots.

Breeding lines produced at CSS are grown under high disease pressure at HAREC in first generation field screening. Lines exhibiting resistance to potato virus Y (PVY), potato leaf roll virus (PLRV), and/or verticillium wilt are increased at COARC in the second field generation. Third-year field screening in preliminary yield trials is conducted at Malheur Experiment Station (MES), KES, COARC, and HAREC. Superior lines are advanced to Oregon statewide trials conducted at the above sites.

Following 2 or 3 years of evaluation in statewide trials, promising selections are advanced to tri-state (Oregon, Washington, and Idaho) and western regional trials where evaluations are expanded to include more detailed analysis of culinary quality, disease reactions, chemical composition, and response to storage conditions. The formal screening process requires approximately 10 years from the breeding cross to graduation from 3 years of evaluation in western regional trials. The naming and release of superior clones is usually delayed for 2-3 years after formal evaluations are completed to build seed supplies and gain commercial experience.

Evaluation procedures followed in the development process lead to characterization of over 50 attributes describing plants, tubers, yield, disease reactions, culinary quality, and physiological responses to stress. Selections that survive the entire process are exposed to a wide range of soil types, weather and climatic conditions, cultural management practices, and disease and stress conditions at about 20 locations in seven western states. Some of the selections are also included in trials in other regions including the midwest, southeast, and/or northeast.

Data from 1998 through 2001 trials at KES preliminary yield, statewide, western regional, and red-skinned/yellow-fleshed trials are available in Annual Reports included in this web page. More detailed information on newly released Oregon selections Klamath Russet, Mazama, Winema, Wallowa, Willamette, and Modoc are also presented on this site.