b'tomeasurespecificgravityandchip addition to yield we will collect data on multipleenvironments.Thistrialcon-color.skin-finish,specificgravity,chip/fry tains 31 entries, which are grown in twocolor, and internal defects.15-hill plots in each location. This yearAdditionallyGrandRapidsisourseed we entered three red legacy varieties thatgenerationlocationforthebreeding We retained several legacy clones from we have developed in collaboration withprogram.Wearegrowingaseed Dr.Thillsbreedingprogram. PeterImle:MN12009PLWR-02R,MNincreaseforourFieldYear3material Unfortunately, almost all of them had 12054PLWR-02R,andMN12054PLWR-(describedbelow),ourlegacymaterial beengrownformultipleyearsinpro- 03R. (described below), and advanced clones. ductionfieldsandthereforehadhighIn particular we are generating seed for disease loads. All 36 of them have gone OurlongtermplansfortheSPRFMN07112 and MN04844, two specialty throughanti-viraltissuecultureand includetwodiseasenurseries,oneforpotatoes, for organic trials with grower tested negative for PVY. This is the first scabandoneforverticilliumwilt.Incollaborators.yearwewillbeabletoevaluatethese order to cultivate disease in the soil weclones for yield and quality traits. This willhavetogrowsusceptiblevarietiesThese trials will be in service of a tasting trial contains 25 red and yellow entries for several years and then reintegrate theevent for local chefs and taste makers, and11chipandrussetentries.This tubers into the soil. This is our first yearwith the goal of generating interest in work is funded by the Minnesota Area II of growing susceptible varieties to culti-some of the legacy clones from the pre- PotatoGrowersCouncil,theNorth vate disease. This project is a collabora-viousbreeder,Dr.ChristianThills, Plains Potato Growers Association, and tion with Pepsi Company. breeding program. This work is support- Simplot. edbyagrantfromtheMinnesota This our second year at the new SPRFDepartment of Agriculture.Oneofourmostpromisinglegacy location.AlthoughthenewsitehasWith the help of an equipment grant clonesisMN13142,anattractivelong many advantages there are still no build-from the university, we are purchasing a storingrussetwiththickskin. ings for equipment storage on site, andreel irrigator and increasing the number Preliminarytrialshavesuggestedthat theopticalgraderwepurchasedfromofirrigatedacresavailableatGrand despiteitsotherattractivequalities ExeterEngineeringisstillinstorage.Rapids. This will allow us to expand the MN13142 has lower yield than compa- This continues to limit our capacity forearly generation aspects of the breeding rable varieties.Yield can be addressed trials at the SPRF. program over the next several years. through spacing, and so we are experi-menting with three spacing levels. This Diploid BreedingBecker, Minnesota project is a collaboration with Dr. Carl ParalleltothetraditionalbreedingTheSPRFislocatednearoneofthe Rosen and Dr. Sanjay Gupta and is fund- approaches described above, our lab ismajorpotatoproducingregionsin ed by an MDA SCRI. Additionally, one of breeding diploid potatoes. Diploid pota-Minnesota,andthereforeprovidesan ourundergraduateresearchers,John toeshavehalftheDNAcontentofideal trial location.Larsen,hasfundingfromthe tetraploid potatoes, making them moreUndergraduateResearchOpportunities tractable for breeding. Diploid breedingThis year it is home to four trials, all of ProgramatUMNtocarryoutthis will allow us to introduce new traits intowhich we planted at the end of April. research.existing varieties and take advantage ofThefirsttrialisourpreliminaryyield hybrid vigor.Diploid potatoes will dra-trial for Field Year 3. We planted single OurfinaltrialistheNorthCentral matically increase the speed of cultivar20-hillplotsofall188clonesselected RegionalTrial,whereweexchange development, allowing breeders to morefrom FY2-2019.This trial is 57% chip- advanced fresh market clones with the quickly respond to changes in the envi-pingpotatoes,18%redpotatoes,14% other North Central breeders in order to ronment and consumer demand. We arespecialty potatoes, and 11% russets. In assesshowpotentialvarietiesfairin intheinitialstagesofdeveloping22 POTATO GROWER JULY/AUGUST 2020'