M A R C H 2 0 1 9 POTATO GROWER 23 been detected in North Dakota and Minnesota grown seed potatoes and that there is a good standard assay for detect- ing Dickeya in seed lots. Dr. Susie Thompson, NDSU, talks about Potato Breeding and Production for the Northern Plains mentioned several research locations. The program has its own certified seed potato production in Minnesota. She emphasized her organic demonstration trial. She highlighted several varieties, three of which are mentioned here: A red ND081571-3R with parents: ND4659-5R x Dakota Ruby. It has medium sized vine, medium early maturity and medi- um to high yield potential. The tubers are round, smooth, bright red with smooth eyes and bright white flesh with medium specific gravity. It is still early in evaluation process. A white ND1241-1Y has as parents: AND07358-1Y x Ivory Crisp. There is a medium sized vine with medium matu- rity, a high yield potential and high spe- cific gravity (1.092 avg.). It is suitable for fresh and chips. It is still too early in the evaluation process for cultivar spe- cific management information. ND7519-1 with parents: ND3828-15 x W1353 has medium sized vine with medium-late maturity, a high yield potential and a high specific gravity (+1.090 average in North Dakota). It chips from 42F storage. Dr. Neil Gudmestad, NDSU, spoke about the effect of vine kill date on yield and quality of Russet Burbank. Verticillium wilt has been a subject of Dr. Gudmestad’s research of the last 15 years, while it became increasingly more serious. V. dahliae survives as microscle- rotia in soil and in crop debris. Dr. Gudmestad mentioned four primary means of disease management: Crop rotation. Cultivar resistance. Cover crops. And soil fumigation. There is a difference in susceptibility between vari- eties, and in the production of microsclerotia. Production of inoculum increases over time. The current practice of letting vines con- tinue increases the number of seclerotia. Two years of trials indicate that yield and quality of Russet Burbank do not increase after around the fall equinox. This is due to decreasing ground cover, cooler daytime temperatures and a shorter photoperiod. This study will have to be done over a minimum of five years to convince the potato industry to arbitrarily kill vines at or around the fall equinox in order to lower Verticillium levels in soil.