US: Potato clones for the future planted in North Dakota

Chips, French fries, the fresh market and even specialty markets like low-glycemic – potatoes in this year’s breeding trial at NDSU could eventually make the grade for many kinds of markets. Potato clones in the NDSU trial were planted May 2. Out in the fields at NDSU’s Williston Research Extension Center’s Nesson Valley, Asunta (Susie) Thompson, NDSU potato breeder and associate professor, was helped with seeding by her research specialist, Richard (Dick) Nilles and Tyler Tjelde, WREC research specialist. “Planting went really well. Tyler and Jerry (Bergman, NDSU WREC director) will be collaborating with us and will have a graduate student working out there with them,” Thompson said. She planted 10 dual-purpose russet clones from the NDSU potato breeding program. Also planted were eight fresh market types, predominantly red skinned with white flesh Five are numbered and three are named. The named varieties are Red Norland, Yukon Gold and Dakota Ruby. More