b'diploidgermplasmandbreedingsys- University of Minnesota, Nutrient 2018andinNovember2019forthetems, as part of a community wide effort ManagementResearchon two-year rotation.Turkey manure wasinvolving potato breeders and industry Irrigated Potatoesappliedinselectedtreatmentsinthepartnersacrossthecountryand Dr. Carl Rosen, UMN three-year rotation plots in April 2019throughout the world. This fall we and andforthetwo-yearrotationplotsinour collaborators were awarded a $3 mil- In 2020, four studies conducted at the April2020.Turkeymanurewasalsolion USDA SCRI-SREP grant to support Sand Plain Research Farm in Becker are appliedtotherotationcropsaswell.this project. Further information about outlined.Theoverallgoalofthis Initial soil samples have been collecteddiploid potatoes, and our project in par- research is to improve nutrient manage- from the potato plots only and analyzedticular is available at: https:// potatov2. ment for potato production on irrigated for soil physical and chemical character-github.io/.sandysoils.Theobjectivesandbrief istics(e.g.,nutrientconcentrations,descriptions of these studies are as fol- organic matter content, pH), soil healthFor the past two summers we have col- lows: characteristics(e.g.,aggregatestability,lectedflowersfromgrowerproduction 24-hourCO2release,proteinN,pen-fields for pollinations with a wild potato EvaluationofManagement etrometerreadings),Verticilliumandrelativewhichnaturallygenerates PracticestoImproveSoilHealth nematode population assessments, anddiploid potatoes. We are grateful to: Jeff for Potato Production soil microbiome composition.Edling,NateHayes,PaulGray,Peter This study is a continuation of a largeEwing,TomWingard,andBlackGold multistateresearchprojectentitled NitrogenTimingandPlacementFarms for flower donations.We generat- EnhancingSoilHealthinU.S.Potato onPotatoYieldandNitrogened 36 diploids from 17,000 pollinations Production Systems funded in 2018 by Uptakein 2018. We did a similar number of pol- theUSDA-NIFASpecialtyCrops This is the second year of a study at thelinations in 2019, but we will not have a Research Initiative.Updates about this Sand Plain Research Farm to determinecount of how many diploids we generat- projectcanbefoundatthefollowing the effects of ESN management (timinged until we can return to campus (we are website:http://potatosoilhealth.cfans. and placement) on potato yields and Ncurrently out of the lab due to Covid- umn.edu/. For one of the four project uptake and to quantify the amount of19).Thesediploidswillbecrossedto objectives,eachparticipatingstatehas ESN that ends up in the furrow follow-self-compatible material, as the first step setupreplicatedplotsevaluatinghow ing application. The recommended timetoward the development of inbred lines.various management practices affect soil to apply ESN is at emergence as a top-health indicators and potato yield and dress followed by incorporation into theWe will continue flower collection and quality.OurstudyattheSandPlain hill. This recommendation was based onpollination to create diploids this sum- ResearchFarmisintendedtoevaluate effectivenessofresponseinpreviousmer.Weareparticularlyinterestedin theeffectsofpotatocultivar(Russet studies and convenience of applicationcollecting flowers from red and process- Burbank, Bannock Russet, and Norkotah and incorporation.However, topdress-ing russet varieties.Russet),fumigation(Vapamvs,no ing ESN followed by hilling often resultsVapam), and cover crops coupled with in ESN prills ending up in the furrow,We appreciate the industry and grower turkeymanureintwoandthreeyear which may reduce the ability of potatosupport weve received in our first three rotations on potato soil health and inci- roots to access the N once it is releasedyears as well as backing from our depart- dence of soil borne diseases. The three- Anadditionalobjectivethisyearistoment and college. We look forward to year rotation was initiated in 2019 and determinetheNreleaseformturkeycontinuedcollaborationswhichwill thetwo-yearrotationwasinitiatedin manureappliedinthespring.Turkeyallow us to serve and contribute to the 2020.Metamsodiumfumigationwas manure is an amendment that can sup-potatoindustryinMinnesotaandthe applied to the appropriate treatments in ply a slow release from of N and at thelarger region.thethree-yearrotationinNovember sametimeaddorganicmattertotheJULY/AUGUST 2020 POTATO GROWER 23'