M A R C H 2 0 1 9 28 POTATO GROWER Minnesota Certified Seed Potato And Post Harvest Winter Test Report By Jeff Miller, Certified Seed Potato Specialist Twenty six seed potato growing opera- tions entered 359 lots into certification for the 2018 crop year totaling 5,478 acres. This represents a drop of 16.5% in total acreage from 2017’s total of 6,559 acres. Of the 5,478 acres entered for certification in 2018, a total of 4,475 acres (82%) passed summer certifica- tion. Of the 996 rejected acres, all but 62 were due to mosaics of all types. Spring planting was somewhat delayed by the cold and wet weather. After planting, the weather turned hot and dry for much of the summer over the entire growing region with southern Minnesota being the exception. It was remarkably wet all year in the southern region where growing and harvesting conditions were consistently a chal- lenge. Once harvest got under way the weather again changed, going from dry to extremely wet, this caused prolonged delays in harvest. Producers battled rain, snow and freezing temps until the end PHWT plot, January 1, 2019, Waialua, Oahu, Hawaii. (Photo courtesy of Jeff Miller) Winter Test Crop Year 2018 By Acreage Class Entered Eligible % Eligible % Eligible % Eligible G1 7.16 7.16 100% 93% 91% G2 123.57 116.57 94% 99% 88% G3 857.68 789.58 92% 86% 91% G4 1,472.02 1,234.62 84% 81% 76% G5 565.96 288.36 51% 40% 62% G6 115.00 37.00 32% 10% 55% C 53.00 0 0% 28% 0% Totals 3,194.39 2,473.29 78% 74% 76% 2018 Acres 2017 Acres 2016 Acres