WERA_OLD027: Potato Variety Development
Statement of Issues and Justification
The western states represented by WCC-27 produced approximately two-thirds of all potatoes grown in the U.S. in 1998. The predominant variety for many decades, both for processing and fresh markets, has been Russet Burbank, which accounted for 65% of the western U.S. potato acreage in the early 1980s but only 50% 1998. This slow steady decline in Russet Burbank has been offset, not by one variety but by the increased use of many newer varieties. These include Ranger Russet, Umatilla Russet, Shepody, Russet Nugget, Russet Norkotah, and several clonal selections of Russet Norkotah. Chipping varieties, fresh market red-skinned and fresh market white-skinned varieties have also seen some shifts from one or two dominant varieties to numerous varieties, each with improved adaptation to different growing, storage or processing conditions, or market preferences. An increase has occurred in acreage of Snowden and Frito Lay varieties; CalWhite has replaced White Rose as the dominant long white for fresh market; Dark Red Norland and Red LaSoda still dominate the red-skinned varieties, but new releases from the western region indicate the probability of changes. An increase in yellow-flesh acreage, primarily Yukon Gold variety, has occurred in recent years in response to increased market demand; breeders in the western region have increased emphasis on yellow-flesh varieties. Private European seed companies have begun to export yellow flesh varieties, which are common in Europe, to the U.S, facilitated by the opportunity to protect the rights to their seed.(See attachment below for complete issues and justification)
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