b'Redvarietiesaccountedforthe tohonortheUSDAAnimaland bered, palletized, gassed with bromolargestpercentageoftotalacreage PlantHealthInspectionService ethane, and shipped to Homestead,plantedat38%,withDarkRed memorandum of understanding for Florida. The samples were planted,Norlandaccountingformostreds. Necrotic Virus Management Plan. andeachlotobservedvisuallyforRussetvarietiesmadeup29%of stand,vigor,andpotatovirus.Alltotalacreage,andalthoughRusset DuetotheCOVID-19globalpan- positive potato virus visual observa-Burbank is still the russet of choice demic, the post-harvest winter test tion leaves were picked, along withwith over half the russet acreage at was conducted in Florida this year a visually negative control, and sent53%, Umatilla Russet accounted for ratherthanHawaii.TheMDA tothePlantDiagnosticLaboratory31%ofrussetacreage.Whitevari- Potato Inspection Unit would like to at North Dakota State University foretiesaccountedfor27%oftotal thank Ken Bertsch, Kent Sather, and confirmation.Theresultsareacreage, followed by yellows at 5%, theNorthDakotaStateSeed enteredintothedatabaseandandspecialtyvarietiesmakingup Departmentforhelpingusalign reported to the certified seed potatothe remaining 1%. withAlgerFarmsinHomestead, growers and the industry. Florida. There were 293 seed potatoTheMDAPotatoInspectionUnit samples collected in October at the For copies of the Minnesota certifiedusesagenerationsystemand officeinEastGrandForkswhile seedpotatodirectory,pleasevisitremains vigilant in detecting potato observingsocialdistancingand theMinnesotaDepartmentofvirus and other diseases. The certi- COVID-19guidelines.Thesamples Agriculture website, or call 218-773-fied seed potato program continues werethensortedbyvariety,num- 4956 to be added to the mailing list.MARCH 2021 POTATO GROWER 19'