Progress 10/01/06 to 09/30/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The principle mission of the Rhinelander Station is to support field and greenhouse activity for potato variety development. Sexual crosses, mini-tuber production of new clones and multiple generations of field plantings were all maintained at the station in 2010. The station supported one greenhouse dedicated for cross pollination containing 40 parental lines producing true seeds from successful crosses. Three greenhouses held seedling plants for the production of mini-tubers to populate the 2011, Year 1 field generation. Twenty five acres of breeding materials were maintained and harvested according to selection protocol. The station also conducts or participates in outreach activities to communicate results of breeding research efforts. Several industry meetings were attended or provided for in 2010: UW-Extension Grower Educational meetings in Stevens Point, Wisconsin Seed Potato Improvement Association- Annual meeting, Field days in Hancock, Antigo and Rhinelander, The Potato Expo (National Potato Industry Conference). Tours involving local schools, Master Gardeners and UW-Stevens Point students were conducted in 2010. The SPUDPRO industry advisory committee met three times in 2010. This group both finances and guides the progress of new advanced potato lines moving toward commercial exposure. The Rhinelander Station is now involved in supporting the Wisconsin Variety Trial activity along with the Hancock Station. Trial planning, organization, seed cutting, some post harvest evaluation and data evaluation is based out of Rhinelander. For the Wisconsin Variety Trial, 88 lines were evaluated. PARTICIPANTS: Rhinelander Station staff include: Bryan Bowen, Scott Woodford, Gary Dalka, Kim Goodin. Key entities important to the annual functioning of the station and it's projects are the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Association - Antigo, WI;, the McNaughton Corrections Facility - Lake Tomahawk;, WI, Sowinski Farms - Rhinelander, WI; and numerous WI growers who receive and plant experimental lines grown on the Rhinelander Station. In 2010, three training experiences took place to familiarize appropriate staff with improved tissue culture techniques. The ARS department also provides annual safety training attended by appropriate station staff. TARGET AUDIENCES: The Wisconsin potato growers are area potato processors and are primary audiences for potato variety development. The principle outreach effort in 2010 was the onsite field day which was attended by 75 participants. It successfully communicated the scope of resources and land used by the station in supporting research work. To an increasing degree the station works with local schools and area community groups to inform about the station mission. A highlight in 2010 was participation in the "Key Ingredients" Smithsonian Exhibit Dec 11, 2010 to Jan 21, 2010. A special potato display was organized and promoted as part of the larger exhibit. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: The reestablishment of a tissue culture system on the Rhinelander Station was initiated in 2010. It is expected that this form of plant propagation in conjunction with appropriate disease and virus testing can assist the breeding program in reducing the Potato Virus Y problem that has become increasingly problematic since 2006. Efforts to develop a clean propagation protocol and the staff expertise to deploy the protocol will be pursued in 2011. A review of the physical laboratory space and sanitation concerns will also be ongoing.
Impacts
The Rhinelander Station is the unique and sole site for the State Potato Breeding Program to grow greenhouse mini-tubers, Year 1 and Year 2 seedlings and production of Breeder's Seed. It is one of two sites where cross pollination activities for potato breeding occurs. From activity in 2010, approximately 50,000 true seeds were generated from crosses. Mini-tubers for 45,000 genotypes were grown. In the field, 3,000 year 1 clones, 800 year 2 clones, 150 year 3 clones were planted for evaluation and selection and 40 advanced lines were maintained in seed production. These plantings all support future years of the breeding and selection process. The seed production harvest populates program trials as well as supplying unique seed potatoes of advanced breeding lines to many cooperating researcher trials in WI around the country. Each year lines are advanced to more intensive levels of evaluation based on selection and seed grown at the Rhinelander Station. For the Wisconsin Variety Trial, information generated is disseminated to growers and processors and assists them in making future choices on varieties to plant and market. Financial resources from CALS are essential to maintain staff, grounds and field operations. Specific supply resources for the project come from project sources. Industry inputs to research funding and some special capital projects are also critical. Activities at the Rhinelander Station supported the anticipated release of two varieties scheduled in 2011.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/09 to 12/31/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The Rhinelander Station continues to serve as a base for field operations of the WI Potato Breeding Program and the USDA Germplasm enhancement Program. The station and staff operated in a very conservative mode in 2009. Operational expenditures were kept to a minimum due to budget limitations. Both State and Federal programs saw volume reductions of field area utilized in 2009. Field space tied to the first field generation of single hills represented the majority of this reduction, dropping from 15 acres in 2008 to 11 acres in 2009. Seed production of advanced lines and maintenance groups were reduced in both programs largely due to high levels of PVY found in the 2008 winter test results. Considerably more efforts were made in 2009 to screen by ELISA (pre-plant) and by visual rouging (in-field). A novel greenhouse planting method for growing cross-pollination plants was implemented in 2009. The approach focuses on maximizing a plants capacity to develop a larger stem and leaf mass thereby increasing the number of inflorescence's available for pollination. Information about progress of State Breeding Program efforts was presented at the winter grower meetings held in Antigo and Stevens point as well as a field day at the Hancock Research Station. An oat variety trial was supported for the first time. This was initiated by Quaker Oats and sister company Frito Lay, through the cooperation of the UW-Agronomy dept. Distribution of excess potatoes was made to numerous food pantries in North Central WI. This was accomplished with the help of the McNaughton Corrections Facility in Lake Tomahawk, WI A major effort was undertaken to extend electrical power to service field irrigation on the station. Three separate projects were accomplished: 1)Snowden Lake, 2)North fields N1-N7 and 3) South fields S9 and S10 A timber harvest was also managed in November and December 2009 involving numerous timber stands and species of trees. This was accomplished for revenue generation. PARTICIPANTS: Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) Duane Matz, Executive Director WI- Corrections: McNaughton Correctional Center; Molly Olsen , Superintenendent; Mark Towne, Asst. Superintendent; UW-Agronomy Heidi Kaeppler; Frito Lay, Gerhardt Bester; WI-Department of Natural Resources (DNR, Ray Briggs, Forestry Technician TARGET AUDIENCES: Wisconsin Potato Growers: provide support to projects that can deliver new potato varieties Local Food Pantries: provide potatoes that are excess to the research station for use a food to needy people General Public: raise awareness of what kinds of activities go on in research, both in agriculture and forestry. Also service to community needs such as the food pantry distribution work. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Screening of PVY by testing tuber flesh at stem ends of potatoes did not result in reliable dedection of PVY. A new approach to screening involving green leaf tissue or a return to testing sprouts will be necessary in 2010. Such adjustment will be needed to avoid a continuing PVY problem. The shift to a novel planting method for parent material was implemented to increase true seed production and to reduce the cost for generating true seed. The new method accomplished all objectives.
Impacts
Twenty five acres of potato breeding and research plots were maintained in 2009. Potato variety development continues to be the major emphasis of work supported by the station. This objective is aimed at practical support of the Wisconsin Potato Industry. Forty advanced selections were grown as breeders seed to supply cooperating research trials and on farm demonstrations. Winter test results from the WI Seed Potato Certification Agency were poorer than expected and indicate the station continues to carry a higher level of PVY innoculum than desired. PVY screening will need to be addressed based on efforts in 2009. The novel method of planting parental material in greenhouses produced excellent results, generating an eight fold increase of true potato seed compared to other methods used in recent years. This is viewed as a great success and brings an efficiency in reducing the amount of labor needed to achieve adequate necessary true seed numbers. The oat variety trial was viewed as a success by Quaker Oat representatives and an inquiry by industry staff was made to RARS about supporting similar work in the future. Rhinelander was viewed as a desirable location to conduct this research. An electrical power upgrade of 3-phase was accomplished on the station with a $45,000 of investment. This was a cost share between ARS and Wisconsin Public Service. Electrical service was extended to more fields on the station and conversion from diesel to electric power was realized. The timber harvest finished in the last days of December. It has achieved the goal of applying high quality management practices to stands according to their nature (both native and plantation species). These stands are open to the general public for viewing as a demonstration for good management. Income was generated in the range of $10,000 to $11,000 with the income to be invested in future capital needs at RARS
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/08 to 12/31/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The central mission of the Rhinelander Station, related to potato variety development,continues to be communicated to the primary user group, the Wisconsin Potato Industry. This was accomplished through multiple meetings held in Wisconsin: Winter UW-Extension outreach at Antigo and Stevens Point, the summer field day at Rhinelander and three meetings of the SPUDPRO advisory committee. Presentations made at the Annual meeting of the Wisconsin Seed Potato Improvement Association address Seed Potato growers and other industry representatives connected to the seed sector. Here they can become familiar with the station's involvement in issues addressing availability of potato seed for new variety releases. The general winter extension meeting communicates with the commercial sector relative to breeding goals, objectives and breeding progress. The summer field day allows for in field demonstration of breeding materials at Rhinelander. The SPUDPRO committee meets at least once each year at Rhinelander and is exposed to the necessary contribution of the station to the potato variety development effort by the UW. The University of Wisconsin Stevens Point (UW-SP) campus brings three groups of students, throughout the summer, to Rhinelander. These students are enrolled in the Natural Resources programs offered at UW-SP. Station staff have the opportunity to communicate to students, the scientific and industry applications of work conducted at the Rhinelander Station. PARTICIPANTS: Bryan Bowen, Superintendent-Rhinelander Station bdbowen@wisc.edu; Dr. Felix Navarro, Assistant Superintendent-Rhinelander Station fmnavarro@wisc.edu; Brian Jorata, Summer Intern (Senior student, UW-Madison) TARGET AUDIENCES: Wisconsin Potato Industry: Seed Potato Growers, Commercial Potato Growers, Students attending University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Treehaven Summer Camp program. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Certified seed potato production at the Rhinelander Station allows for distribution of advanced breeding lines to numerous University trials within Wisconsin and out of state. Seed potatoes are also distributed to interested WI potato growers for on-farm evaluation. From trials and on-farm demonstrations, a body of information is collected that provides insight about commercial application and potential. In 2008, the Rhinelander Station supported seed production of one advanced line, W2717-5, which was nominated by industry voices for future Elite Foundation seed production. The station also provided an ongoing source of seed for previously nominated lines, W1879-1rus, W2133-1 and W2324-1. In addition, general support was provided to the following potato efforts: the Wisconsin Potato Breeding program, the USDA Germplasm Enhancement program and to a USDA post harvest physiology project. Support for the Wisconsin Corn Hybrid evaluation work was available however the trials were abandoned due to low plant population issues stemming from poor plant emergence and bird damage. Often the Agricultural industry experiences tensions relative to environmental concerns. During the student visits of the UW-Stevens Point - Treehaven Summer Camp program, information was shared by station staff regarding Best Management Practices (BMP's) of modern agriculture. These exchanges allow for a give and take discussion that broadens the perspective of students who likely will become future environmental managers and policy makers affecting agriculture.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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