Potato Grower

42 POTATO GROWER | JANUARY 2020 experienced dry periods. Luckily, certain growing areas received rain events later in the season to help sustain the crop. Overall, the 2019 crop appears to be very healthy, despite average to low rainfall in some areas. As of Sept. 30, the certification program has 9,806 acres field certified from 110 farms. The top five varieties entered for certification in Maine in 2019 are: 1. Atlantic: 914 acres 2. Russet Burbank (MT strain): 785 acres 3. Caribou Russet (PVP): 710 acres 4. Lamoka (PVP): 679 acres 5. Snowden: 629 acres Inspectors are now performing PCN sampling and are in preparation for laboratory PVY post-harvest testing. This year marks two years of full post-harvest laboratory testing for the Maine Department of Agriculture. All samples will be ELISA post-harvest tested at the certification laboratory in Presque Isle, Maine. MINNESOTA Eric Byre Plant Protection Program Supervisor Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture The 31 seed potato growers in Minnesota certified 6,134 acres for crop year 2019, a slight increase from the 5,932 acres in 2018. Russet Burbank was the variety with the most acres planted. Growers experienced a cool, late spring, with the northern tier of the state experiencing delays in planting due to snow through April. Most growers were in the field and planting in May, with all completed by mid-June. As the growing season progressed, the temperatures warmed, rain fell consistently, and growers were excited about potential yields. Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) inspectors were busy, with three inspections conducted on each certified seed potato lot. Ultimately, 600 acres were rejected due to excessive mosaic, varietal mix or failure to meet eligibility requirements. Harvest was difficult, with some regions receiving up to 14 inches of rain from Labor Day to the end of October. The brunt of the heavy rainfall was in the Red River Valley and northern Minnesota. Fifty-two certified seed lots, representing over 700 acres, were totally lost due to the excess moisture. In addition, not all remaining acreage was able to be harvested. This will have an impact on seed potato production in the area for the foreseeable future. Minnesota governor Tim Walz and agriculture commissioner Thom Peterson held a roundtable discussion with growers and industry officials at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture office in East Grand Forks to discuss the difficulties the growers experienced with the harvest, and to provide some support moving forward. Overall, the quality of the potato seed that was able to be harvested is good to excellent. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture Potato Inspection Unit uses a generation system and remains vigilant in detecting potato virus and other disease. With this in mind, the program signed the APHIS MOU for Necrotic Virus Management Plan in July. Following every harvest, growers submit samples for the post-harvest winter test on Oahu, Hawaii. In the fall of 2019, 223 samples were submitted for this program. The samples will be planted, and each lot observed visually for stand, vigor and potato virus throughout the winter. All positive potato virus visual observations are confirmed with a laboratory test conducted at the University of Hawaii. Once complete, the results are communicated to the growers and industry. For copies of the Minnesota certified seed potato directory, visit the Minnesota Department of Agriculture website (www. mda.state.mn.us) or call (218) 773-4956 to be added to the mailing list. MONTANA Nina Zidack Director Montana Seed Potato Certification Program The summer of 2019 proved to be cooler than average throughout most of Montana. With mild conditions, there was very little stress to crops throughout the state, and growers are reporting 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. While many other potato-growing areas experienced wet conditions and frost before the end of harvest, Montana growers were fortunate to have about 95 percent o f 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 is up slightly to 10,440 acres, which represents a minor increase when compared to 10,355 acres in 2018. Russet Burbank is still the dominant variety but is down slightly from 3,921 acres in 2018 to 3,786 in 2019. Umatilla Russet is the second-most widely produced variety in Montana but Mid-season inspection of seed potato crop at Lake Seed in Ronan, Mont.

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