Source: UNIVERSITY OF MAINE submitted to NRP
POTATO BREEDING TO IMPROVE MARKETABILITY AND RESILIENCE TO ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS, PESTS, AND DISEASES
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
SPECIAL GRANT
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1026971
Grant No.
2021-34141-35448
Cumulative Award Amt.
$1,035,426.67
Proposal No.
2021-06095
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Sep 1, 2021
Project End Date
Aug 31, 2024
Grant Year
2022
Program Code
[AN]- Potato Research
Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF MAINE
(N/A)
ORONO,ME 04469
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Potato breeding and variety development in the eastern U.S is accomplished through an integrated, seven-state (Florida, Maine, North Carolina, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia) effort together with USDA-ARS potato breeding. Our four collaborating potato breeding programs and associated cooperating researchers conduct multi-site and -disciplinary selection and variety development research across the eastern seaboard. Breeding priorities are determined from stakeholder input. Our overall goal is to develop attractive, productive, broadly adapted and heat stress-tolerant, pest- and disease-resistant potato varieties that can be grown by small and large potato producers to enhance marketing opportunities, farm sustainability and profits. The specific objectives are: 1) Develop improved new potato varieties with broad adaptation and heat tolerance; 2) Develop improved new potato varieties with increased pest and disease resistance; 3) Enhance information delivery via our web-based database, collaboration with stakeholders, and other Extension activities. Our project utilizes conventional and marker-assisted breeding and selection to develop highly productive new varieties with resistance to heat and other important abiotic stresses as well as plant diseases such as late blight, scab, potato virus y (PVY), early blight, pink rot, bacterial soft rot, and golden nematode. Genomic selection is now being integrated into our programs to improve genetic gain for key traits. Our selection procedures utilize diverse eastern growing conditions to select potato germplasm with broad adaptation, resistance to pests, heat stress, and stress-related defects. Our programs continue to adopt uniform data collection and distribution techniques to facilitate communication with stakeholders and among researchers.
Animal Health Component
90%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
0%
Applied
90%
Developmental
10%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
2011310108150%
2031310108110%
2041310108120%
2121310108120%
Knowledge Area
212 - Pathogens and Nematodes Affecting Plants; 204 - Plant Product Quality and Utility (Preharvest); 203 - Plant Biological Efficiency and Abiotic Stresses Affecting Plants; 201 - Plant Genome, Genetics, and Genetic Mechanisms;

Subject Of Investigation
1310 - Potato;

Field Of Science
1081 - Breeding;
Goals / Objectives
Our overall goal is to develop attractive, productive, broadly adapted and heat stress-tolerant, pest- and disease-resistant potato varieties that can be grown by small and large potato producers to enhance marketing opportunities, farm sustainability and profits. The specific objectives are: 1) Develop improved new potato varieties with broad adaptation and heat tolerance; 2) Develop improved new potato varieties with increased pest and disease resistance; 3) Enhance information delivery via our web-based database, collaboration with stakeholders, and other Extension activities.
Project Methods
Objective 1. Develop Improved New Potato Varieties with Broad Adaptation and Heat Tolerance. Subobjective 1a. Create 105,000 new seedlings yearly and evaluate early- and advanced-generation clones for improved yield, market quality, and adaptation. Initial crossing and germplasm improvement are conducted by the ME, NY, NC, and USDA-ARS potato breeding programs. Parents are selected for desirable traits such as high yield, desirable quality attributes, and biotic and abiotic resistance, as well as male and female fertility. Each cross produces a family of true potato seed (TPS), which is used to produce seedling tubers. The seedling tubers are used for subsequent field selection and/or laboratory evaluation. Across the region, our programs are currently screening approximately 105,000 first-year seedlings each year (ME 42,000; NY 18,000; NC 15,000; USDA-ARS 30,000). Depending on the program, ~2 to 10% of the clones remain after the first selection season. These selected clones will be further field tested within each breeding program and at multiple external locations for 5 to 8 more years to evaluate yield, quality (e.g. tuber size distribution, external appearance, glycoalkaloid levels, processing quality, etc.), disease resistance (e.g., scab, late blight, early blight, PVY, Verticillium wilt, etc.), and other characteristics (e.g., tuber greening, bruise susceptibility, vine maturity, cooking quality, etc.). We will focus on developing new improved chipping (ME, NC, NY, USDA-ARS) and fry processing clones (ME). We will also target development of improved fresh market lines with varying skin and flesh colors. The most promising chip, fry processing, and fresh market clones are entered into the NE-1731 regional project trials in which advanced clones are tested at up to nine NE-1731 trial sites per year in the east (FL, ME, NC, OH, VA, PA, NY, and the Canadian provinces of NB and QC). Potato shows strong genotype x environment interactions, and the diverse eastern growing conditions facilitate detection of characteristics that might otherwise not be detected for many years. The most promising NE-1731 performers advance to commercial-scale testing. Subobjective 1b. Screen new potato clones for heat tolerance using our multi-site, regional variety trial program. Selection environment plays a key role in determining germplasm attributes. The traditional approach for the region's breeding programs has been to conduct early selection at the breeding programs' field sites (USDA-ARS, ME, NY, and NC). As part of this project, the ME, NY, and USDA-ARS breeding programs have supplemented their traditional selection procedures with early selection at one or more environmentally distinct sites to develop specifically and/or widely-adapted potato germplasm, and simultaneously address the needs of potato growers in the mid-Atlantic and southern states, where heat stress and internal heat necrosis (IHN) commonly limit yield and quality. Subobjective 1c. Develop and evaluate predictive value of marker(s) for internal heat necrosis (IHN). Our genetic mapping research has provided insight into the genetic control of IHN resistance and susceptibility. We will continue to develop and extensively phenotype a chip stock training population using good IHN-inducing conditions in NC. We will use these materials to validate QTL previously discovered through a genomewideassociation study (GWAS). This approach will enable us to validate and develop markers linked to IHN. Subobjective 1d. Integrate genomic selection for improved potato productivity, quality, and heat tolerance into our breeding programs. Our goal is to calibrate genomic selection (GS) models and establish proof of concept studies using this new technology for the selection of potato varieties with good marketability and resilience to environmental stress, pests, and diseases. To begin genomic selection in the eastern potato programs, we will create "training populations" by genotyping and phenotyping several hundred clones from each program. Data collected from these training populations allows GS prediction models to be built. At the end of our three-year process, each breeding program will have genotypic and phenotypic data on ~450 to 600 3rd-year clones. We also plan to utilize multi-site phenotypic data from our eastern trial network for the development of site-specific models. These trials sites will provide greater heat stress exposure than the originating ME and NY breeding programs. Objective 2. Develop Improved New Varieties with Increased Pest and Disease Resistance Subobjective 2a. Generate new disease and pest resistant potato clones within our potato breeding programs. To tackle present and emerging pests and diseases, we will utilize the approaches described in Objective 1a and continue to invest resources in developing new disease and pest resistance potato clones within our programs using elite, disease and pest resistant parents that produce offspring segregating for late blight, early blight, scab, softrot, virus, and nematode resistance. Subobjective 2b. Evaluate disease resistance under uniform screening conditions. All advanced breeding lines that are submitted to the NE-1731 Eastern regional potato project will be evaluated for resistance/susceptibility to major potato diseases under uniform conditions. This assessment provides baseline comparative information to help breeding programs, researchers, and the industry decide on the merits of new potato clones. Subobjective 2c. Develop and evaluate predictive value of marker(s) for resistance to late blight. We will continue by genotyping our late blight resistant populations and work towards quantitative trait locus (QTL) identification using phenotype and genotype data (PA). Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) linked to resistance will be developed as markers for future selection efforts (PA).Subobjective 2d. Evaluate ability of a newly developed marker on chromosome 5 to predict resistance to pathotype Ro2 of the golden nematode. QTL mapping in a bi-parental population (NY121 x NY115) recently identified several SNP markers on the upper arm of chromosome 5 associated with resistance to pathotype Ro2. These SNP markers will be assessed for their ability to predict resistance to Ro2 in other NY crosses. Subobjective 2e. Develop potato blackleg and soft rot (PBSR) resistant germplasm. ME has recently identified Caribou Russet and several USDA-ARS clones that exhibit high levels of tolerance to PBSR caused by pectinolytic pathogens, Dickeya and Pectobacterium spp. ME (Tan and Hao labs) will work to identify QTLs for blackleg resistance. Any linked markers found will be tested in tetraploid crosses with Caribou Russet. Objective 3. Enhance Information Delivery via Our Web-based Database, Collaboration with Stakeholders, and Other Extension Activities. We will continue to make project results available on a searchable website. Our searchable database is now available on our Variety Data Management (VDM) website (https://neproject.medius.re/). Data are searchable and freely available to researchers, extension professionals, industry stakeholders, and others, regardless of their location. Stakeholder input, potato variety development, extension activities. Potato variety development is impossible without active engagement among researchers, extension, and stakeholders. Breeders, pathologists, entomologists, agronomists, and others on the project team remain in ongoing communication with many people representing all sectors within the U.S. potato industry and will use this information to set priorities, inform our approach, and facilitate the release and adoption of new varieties.

Progress 09/01/21 to 08/31/24

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for this project includes potato growers, potato processors, home gardeners, and consumers of potatoes and potato products. Research results are delivered in written reports, popular press, websites, and presentations at grower meetings. Variety development involves applied research which is conducted on University research station farms, and commercial farms. Some of the new potato varieties go directly to consumers via supermarkets, farmers' markets, and roadside stands, while others are utilized by potato chip and/or French fry processors. Subsequently, consumers purchase the resulting processed products. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Students, technicians, and professionals working on the project learned about agricultural research, potato breeding, potato cultivar development, and the need for improved potato varieties. Members of the team are also being trained on new genomic selection techniques that can be applied to future research. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Advanced clones from our project were introduced to growers through field days, on-farm demonstrations, presentations, publications, websites, web-based presentations, and direct contact with stakeholders at state, regional, and national potato industry meetings. The advanced clones and releases from the Eastern project continue to be commercially evaluated and adopted by farmers and our industry stakeholders. Released varieties are the final product of our research, and impact directly in the potato industry. Looking back at varieties released by this project over the past ten years, the following have had an especially significant impact (each ranking among the top 100 most widely grown varieties in the US in 2023). Caribou Russet, released by ME in 2015 for fry processing and russet fresh market, has been rapidly adopted due to high yields, scab and verticillium resistance, and excellent consumer quality. Certified seed acreage rose to 1896 acres, making it the 10th most widely grown variety in 2023. Hamlin Russet was released by ME during 2021 for early fry processing and russet fresh market and is moderately resistant to common scab; seed acreage in 2023 rose to 392 acres (ranks 42nd in the US). Lady Liberty, a chipping variety released by NY in 2018, is resistant to the golden nematode and PVY; at 472 acres of seed, it ranked 36th in 2023. Bliss, another NY chipping variety, was released in early 2023 and currently ranks 76th (100 acres of seed). Recent Eastern releases were grown on 4,410 seed acres in Maine and New York during the 2023 season, with a seed value of approximately $12 million. The resulting seed crop has the potential to plant 33,401 acres in 2024, with a ware value estimated at $109 million. Nationally, varieties released by our long-term project were grown on 10,504 seed acres during 2023, with an approximate seed value of $24.1 million and a potential 2024 ware production value of $223.6 million. Several varieties developed through our collective efforts are in the top 100 U.S. varieties based on seed acreage, including Lamoka (3,011 acres, rank 8), Caribou Russet (1,895 acres, rank 12), Waneta (1,386 acres, rank 14), Lady Liberty (472 acres, rank 37), Lehigh (319 acres, rank 50), Hamlin Russet (392 acres, rank 45), Genesee (107 acres, rank 78), Reba (107 acres, rank 80), and Eva (81 acres, rank 92). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Research activities took place in seven states (FL, ME, NC, NY, OH, PA, and VA) from 2021-2024 and involved collaborations with the USDA-ARS Potato Breeding Programs in Orono, ME, Aberdeen, ID, and Madison, WI, as well as the Potatoes USA National Chip and Fry Processor's Trials. Potato breeding for improved quality and pest resistance continued in ME, NY, NC, and USDA-ARS during 2021-2024, and more recently FL starting in 2022. Our programs collectively generated 2,529 new tetraploid families [1,627,813 true potato seeds (TPS)] from crosses using parents with desirable quality, utilization, adaptation, and/or pest resistance traits. Progeny (327,018) from earlier crosses (2020 and older) were field-selected, resulting in 8,337 clones that were selected for further evaluation under field and laboratory conditions with diverse abiotic and biotic stress in the eastern U.S. and beyond. We utilized early-generation clones in multi-site evaluations to identify those that were either broadly or specifically adapted, optimizing the selection process in the early stages of breeding. The most advanced clones from each program were then used in a regional multi-state trial across seven states each year of the project, enabling us to assess the performance of the most promising clones along the entire East Coast, from Maine to Florida. In each testing location, each clone was vigorously evaluated for yield, tuber size distribution, tuber specific gravity (solids), and internal and external quality. Assessing pest and disease resistance was a continuous effort of the project. The disease resistant varieties generated by this project have the potential to greatly reduce growers' losses to diseases such as late blight and can also reduce production costs with chemical control and fumigation. Screening trials conducted in Pennsylvania during the seasons 2021 to 2023 evaluated our most advanced clones for tolerance to early blight (94 clones), late blight (486 clones), and common scab (192 clones). Additionally, extensive use of molecular markers was employed to increase the frequency of PVY and golden nematode resistance in our programs in New York (145), Maine (696 clones), and North Carolina (2329 clones). We continued our efforts to fully implement genomic selection in our programs, as it holds much promise for accelerating breeding progress. North Carolina phenotyped 1,909 second-year clones and genotyped (with assistance from Florida) 667 second-year clones to generate breeding values for tuber specific gravity and marketable yield; this data was used to inform the selection of third-year clones. During the 2021-2023 season, Maine genotyped using the PotatoV4 SNP array (31k SNPs) and phenotyped 580 third-year clones, creating a good database for our training population. Florida established a training population to calibrate GS prediction models. A population of 530 individuals were phenotyped and genotyped with 22,000 SNP loci using the Flex-Seq platform. Initial selection was performed in collaboration with NCSU, using the DArTag genotyping platform. Our breeding programs incorporated new data collection technologies such as the Fieldbook App, Potatobase, and the VDM database which are used to store all our field trials and reports, streamline our potato breeding efforts, and increase farmers' and industry's access to our data. To increase the reach of our findings, we introduced our advanced clones from our project to growers through field days, on-farm demonstrations, presentations, publications, websites, web-based presentations, and direct contact with stakeholders at state, regional, and national potato industry meetings. The advanced clones and releases from this Eastern project continue to be commercially evaluated and adopted by farmers and our industry stakeholders. Released varieties are the final product of our research, and impact directly in the potato industry.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Agha, H.I., J.B. Endelman, J. Chittwood-Brown, M. Clough, J. Coombs, W.S. De Jong, D.S. Douches, C. Higgins, D. Holm, R. Novy, M.F.R. Resende, V. Sathuvalli, A. L. Thompson, G. C. Yencho, L. Zotarelli, L.M. Shannon. 2023, Genotype-by-Environment interactions and local adaptation shape selection in the United States National Chip Processing Trial. Theoretical and Applied Genetics.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Martins, V.S., M.H.M.L. Andrade, L.N. Padua, L.A. Miguel, C.C. Fernandes Filho, M.L. Guedes, J.A. Nunes, L. Hoffmann Jr., L. Zotarelli, M. Resende, P.C.S. Carneiro, T.S. Mar�al*. 2023. Evaluation the impact of modeling the family effect for clonal selection in potato breeding programs. Frontiers in Plant Science. Sec. Plant Breeding. 14:1253706. http://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2023.1253706
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Nelson, H., J.M. Oliveira, J. Lai, L. Zotarelli. 2024. Soak of flow? Choosing the right water path for potatoes. Choices Magazine. https://www.choicesmagazine.org/choices-magazine/data-visualizations/soak-or-flow-choosing-the-right-water-path-for-potatoes
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Andrade, M.H.L., L.G. Pesantes, C.T. Christensen, L. Sharma, L. Zotarelli. 2022. Seed spacing recommendations for table-stock potato cultivars in Florida: HS1446, 09/2022. EDIS 2022 (6). https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-HS1446-2022
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Zotarelli, L., T. Wade, G.K. England, C.T. Christensen. 2021. Nitrogen fertilization guidelines for potato production in Florida: HS1429, 12/2021. EDIS 2021 (11). https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-HS1429-2021
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Zotarelli, L., P.J. Dittmar, P.D. Roberts, J. Desaeger, B. Wells. 2021. Chapter 14. Potato Production: HS733/CV131, rev. 4/2021, EDIS 2021 (33). https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-cv131-2021
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Andrade, M.H.L., R.W. Mwatuwa, C.T. Christensen, P. Solano, L. Zotarelli. 2021. University of Florida Potato Variety Trials Spotlight: French Fingerling: HS1300. 2/2021. EDIS 2021 (3). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1300
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Andrade, M.H.L., R.W. Mwatuwa, C.T. Christensen, L. Zotarelli. 2021. University of Florida Potato Variety Spotlight: Marcy: HS1277, 2/2021. EDIS 2021 (3). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1277
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Hadjiabadi, S., M.Resende, L.Zotarelli, L. Hoffmann. 2024. Growing superior potato varieties in northeast Florida. Handouts for the 2024 UF/IFAS Potato Field Day. 1p.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Andrade, M.H.L., R.W. Mwatuwa, C.T. Christensen, P. Solano, L. Zotarelli. 2021. University of Florida Potato Variety Trials Spotlight: Goldrush: HS1299, 2/2021. EDIS 2021 (4). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1299
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Andrade, M.H.L., R.W. Mwatuwa, C.T. Christensen, P. Solano, K.G. Haynes, L. Zotarelli. 2021. University of Florida Potato Variety Trials Spotlight: Harley Blackwell.: HS1298, 2/2021. EDIS 2021 (4). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1298
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Andrade, M.H.L., R.W. Mwatuwa, C.T. Christensen, P. Solano, L. Zotarelli. 2021. University of Florida Potato Variety Trials Spotlight: LaChipper: HS1297, 2/2021. EDIS 2021 (4). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1297
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Andrade, M.H.L., R.W. Mwatuwa, C.T. Christensen, P. Solano, L. Zotarelli. 2021. University of Florida Potato Variety Trials Spotlight: Yukon Gold: HS1296, 2/2021. EDIS 2021 (4). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1296
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Andrade, M.H.L., R.W. Mwatuwa, C.T. Christensen, P. Solano, K.G. Haynes, L. Zotarelli. 2021. University of Florida Potato Variety Trials Spotlight: Peter Wilcox: HS1295, 2/2021. EDIS 2021 (4). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1295
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Andrade, M.H.L., R.W. Mwatuwa, C.T. Christensen, P. Solano, L. Zotarelli. 2021. University of Florida Potato Variety Trials Spotlight: Fabula: HS1294, 2/2021. EDIS 2021 (4). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1294
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Andrade, M.H.L., R.W. Mwatuwa, C.T. Christensen, P. Solano, L. Zotarelli. 2021. University of Florida Potato Variety Trials Spotlight: Andirondack Blue: HS1293, 2/2021. EDIS 2021 (3). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1293
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Andrade, M.H.L., R.W. Mwatuwa, C.T. Christensen, L. Zotarelli. 2021. University of Florida Potato Variety Spotlight: Snowden: HS1286, 2/2021. EDIS 2021 (5). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1286
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Andrade, M.H.L., R.W. Mwatuwa, C.T. Christensen , L. Zotarelli. 2021. University of Florida Potato Variety Spotlight: Atlantic: HS1278, 2/2021. EDIS 2021 (3). http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1278
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Hoffmann, L., P. Solano, B. Barrineau, L. Zotarelli, M. Resende. 2024. Greenhouse: Mini-Tuber Production for Potato Breeding in Hastings, FL. Handouts for the 2024 UF/IFAS Potato Field Day. 1p.
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2024 Citation: Dhakal, R., L. Hoffmann, L. Zotarelli, M. Resende. 2024. Utilizing genomic selection to accelerate the potato breeding efforts for developing high-yielding varieties suited to Florida. Handouts for the 2024 UF/IFAS Potato Field Day. 1p.
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: Zotarelli, L., P. Solano, L. Hoffmann, M. Resende. 2023. UF/IFAS Potato Variety Program  Partnership with the private industry. 2023 Handouts for UF/IFAS Potato Feld Day. 1p.
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: Hoffmann, L., P. Solano, L. Zotarelli, M. Resende. 2023. Potato breeding and heat tolerance. 2023 Handouts for UF/IFAS Potato Feld Day. 1p.
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2022 Citation: Zotarelli, L., M. Resende, L. Hoffmann, C.T. ChristensenG, P. Solano. 2022. UF/IFAS Potato Breeding Program. Handouts for UF/IFAS potato field day. 1p.
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2022 Citation: Sharma, L., L. Zotarelli, S.K. Sidhu, F.R. Bortolozo. 2022. Determination of potassium requirement for potato. Handouts for UF/IFAS potato field day. 1p.
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2022 Citation: Sharma, A.L., L. Zotarelli, C.T. Christensen, L. Sharma. 2022. Determination of sulfur requirement for potato. Handouts for UF/IFAS potato field day. 1p.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Hoopes, G., X. Meng, J.P. Hamilton, S.R Achakkagari, F. de Alves Freitas Guesdes, M.E. Bolger, J.J. Coombs, D. Esselink, N.R. Kaiser, L. Kodde, M. Kyriakido, B. Lavrijssen, N. van Lieshout, R. Shereda, H.K. Tuttle, B. Vaillancourt, J.C. Wood, J.M. de Boer, N. Bornowski, P. Bourke, D. Douches, H.J. van Eck, D. Ellis, M.J. Feldman, K.M. Gardner, J.C.P. Hopman, J. Jiang, W.S. De Jong, J.C. Kuhl, R.G. Novy, S. Oome, V. Sathuvalli, E.H. Tan, R.A. Ursum, M.I. Vales, K. Vining, R.G.F. Visser, J. Vossen, G.C. Yencho, N.L. Anglin, C.W.B. Bachem, J.B. Endelman, L.M. Shannon, M.V. Str�mvik, H.H. Tai, B. Usadel, C.R. Buell and R. Finkers. 2022. Phased, chromosome-scale genome assemblies of tetraploid potato reveals a complex genome, transcriptome, and predicted proteome landscape underpinning genetic diversity. Molecular Plant 15: 520-536. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molp.2022.01.003.
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2022 Citation: Morgan, K., L. Zotarelli, L. Sharma, C.T. Christensen, F.R. Bortolozo. 2022. Phosphorus rate study. Handouts for UF/IFAS potato field day. 2p.
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2021 Citation: Zotarelli, L., F.R. Bortolozo, C.T. Christensen, L. Sharma, P. Fletcher, S. Agehara, C. Snodgrass, L. Hickey, K. Morgan. 2021. UF/IFAS Phosphorus fertilizer recommendations for potato crop  Handouts for north Florida potato growers meeting. 30p.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Xue WY, Haynes KG, Qu XS. 2021. Resistance to Phytophthora infestans Clonal Lineage US-23 in Potato Cultivars and Its Relationship with Early Blight Resistance and Tuber Yield. Plant Disease 105:3956-3966.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Levina, A.V., O.A. Hoekenga, M. Gordin, C. Broeckling and W.S. De Jong. 2023. Applying network and genetic analysis to the potato metabolome. Frontiers in Plant Science 141:108351. doi 10.3389/fpls.2023.1108351
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: De Jong, W.S., D.E. Halseth, R.L. Plaisted, X. Wang, K.L. Perry, X. Qu, K.M. Paddock, M. Falise, B.J. Christ and G.A. Porter GA. 2023. Lehigh, a Variety with Yellow Flesh and Resistance to the Golden Cyst Nematode and Common Scab. American Journal of Potato Research 100:163168. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-022-09900-4
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Fan, G., Q. Wang, J. Xu, N. Chen, W. Zhu, S. Duan, X. Yang, W.S. De Jong, Y. Guo, L. Jin and G. Li. 2022. Fine Mapping and Candidate Gene Prediction of Tuber Shape Controlling Ro Locus Based on Integrating Genetic and Transcriptomic Analyses in Potato. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 23:1470. https:// doi.org/10.3390/ijms23031470


Progress 09/01/23 to 08/31/24

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for this project includes potato growers, potato processors, home gardeners, and consumers of potatoes and potato products. Research results are delivered in written reports, popular press, websites, and presentations at grower meetings. Variety development involves applied research which is conducted on University research station farms, and commercial farms. Some of the new potato varieties go directly to consumers via supermarkets, farmers' markets, and roadside stands, while others are utilized by potato chip and/or french fry processors. Subsequently, consumers purchase the resulting processed products. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Students, technicians, and professionals working on the project learned about agricultural research, potato breeding, potato cultivar development, and the need for improved potato varieties. Members of the team are also being trained on new genomic selection techniques that can be applied to future research. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Advanced clones from our project were introduced to growers through field days, on-farm demonstrations, presentations, publications, websites, web-based presentations, and direct contact with stakeholders at state, regional, and national potato industry meetings. The advanced clones and releases from the Eastern project continue to be commercially evaluated and adopted by farmers and our industry stakeholders.Released varieties are the final product of our research, and impact directly in the potato industry.Looking back at varieties released by this project over the past ten years, the following have had an especially significant impact (each ranking among the top 100 most widely grown varieties in the US in 2023). Caribou Russet, released by ME in 2015 for fry processing and russet fresh market, has been rapidly adopteddue to high yields, scab and verticillium resistance, and excellent consumer quality. Certified seed acreage rose to 1896 acres, making it the 10th most widely grown variety in 2023. Hamlin Russet was released by ME during 2021 for early fry processing and russet fresh market and is moderately resistant to common scab; seed acreage in 2023 rose to 392 acres (ranks 42nd in the US). Lady Liberty, a chipping variety released by NY in 2018, is resistant to the golden nematode and PVY; at 472 acres of seed, it ranked 36th in 2023. Bliss, another NY chipping variety, was released in early 2023 and currently ranks 76th (100 acres of seed). Recent Eastern releases were grown on 4,410 seed acres in Maine and New York during the 2023 season, with a seed value of approximately $12 million. The resulting seed crop has the potential to plant 33,401 acres in 2024, with a ware value estimated at $109 million. Nationally, varieties released by our long-term project were grown on 10,504 seed acres during 2023, with an approximate seed value of $24.1 million and a potential 2024 ware production value of $223.6 million. Several varieties developed through our collective efforts are in the top 100 U.S. varieties based on seed acreage, including Lamoka (3,011 acres, rank 8), Caribou Russet (1,895 acres, rank 12), Waneta (1,386 acres, rank 14), Lady Liberty (472 acres, rank 37), Lehigh (319 acres, rank 50), Hamlin Russet (392 acres, rank 45), Genesee (107 acres, rank 78), Reba (107 acres, rank 80), and Eva (81 acres, rank 92). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Research activities took place in seven states (FL, ME, NC, NY, OH, PA, and VA) during 2023-2024and involved collaborations with the USDA-ARS Potato Breeding Programs in Beltsville, MD, Aberdeen, ID, and Madison, WI, as well as the Potatoes USA National Chip and Fry Processor's Trials. Potato breeding for improved quality and pest resistance continued in ME, NY, NC, and USDA-ARS during 2023-2024.During the 2023 season, our programs collectively generated 972 new tetraploid families (767,228 true potato seeds (TPS)) from crosses using parents with desirable quality, utilization, adaptation, and/or pest resistance traits. Progeny (74,438) from earlier crosses (2022 and older) were field-selected resulting in 3,017 clones that are being further evaluated during 2024 under conditions with diverse abiotic and biotic stress in the eastern US and beyond.Even though all five breeding programs collaborate towards a common goal, each program focuses on specific pests, climate stress, and market needs. This allows for efficient use of regional resources. For example, Maine is the only state in the region with a breeding program that focuses on russets and long whites for processing, reflecting the strong processing industry present in the state. In terms of pests and diseases, ME emphasizes research on late blight, pink rot, potato virus Y (PVY), soft rot, and common scab resistance. New York focuses on white-skinned chipping crosses, but also selects fresh market clones of varying skin and flesh colors and emphasizes resistance to golden nematode, common scab, and PVY, but also crosses for late blight, and pale cyst nematode. We continue our efforts to fully implement genomic selection in our programs, as it holds much promise for accelerating breeding progress. North Carolina phenotyped and genotyped (with assistance from Florida) 600 second-year clones to generate breeding values for specific gravity and marketable yield; this data was used to inform the selection of third-year clones. During the 2023 season, Maine genotyped another 188 third-year clones, bringing their total training population up to 768 genotyped and phenotyped clones. Florida genotyped a population that includes the chipping and fresh market parents of their nascent breeding program at 22,000 SNP loci using the Flex-Seq platform and the initial GS training population developed by NCSU was also genotyped using the DArTag platform. Our programs are incorporating new data collection technologies such as the Fieldbook App, Potatobase, and the VDM database used to store our field trials and reports,to streamline our potato breeding efforts and increase the access to our data by farmers and industry. To increase the reach of our findings, we introducedour advanced clones from this project to growers through field days, on-farm demonstrations, presentations, publications, websites, web-based presentations, and direct contact with stakeholders at state, regional, and national potato industry meetings. Disease-resistant varieties generated by this project have the potential to greatly reduce growers' losses to devastating diseases such as late blight, pink rot, and PVY, and can also reduce agricultural chemical use and production costs. Screening trials in 2023 in Pennsylvania evaluated our NE2231 and advanced breeding clones for tolerance to early blight (52 clones), late blight (234 clones), and common scab (141 clones).Extensive use of molecular markers was employed to increase the frequency of PVY resistance in our programs in New York, Maine, and North Carolina. Maine, New York, and North Carolina all use molecular markers for golden nematode resistance and Maine conducted additional screening trials during the 2023 season for susceptibility to late blight, common scab, verticillium wilt, soft rot, pink rot, PVY, and PLRV. In 2023, Florida (UF) planted a trial for the second year to assess heat tolerance in potatoes. A severe hailstorm damaged the crop, so the trial will be repeated in 2024. Initial data from the first year showed that some cultivars performed better than commercial checks under high heat stress. These cultivars were included in Florida's crossing blocks to create new populations for future evaluation. Additionally, the same population assessed for heat tolerance was used to evaluate genotypic response to varying amounts of applied nitrogen to understand the genetics of nitrogen uptake efficiency (NUE). The UMaine breeding program also aims to increase heat tolerance in its germplasm to identify clones that perform well in northeastern regions and have the potential for use in southern locations. Maine trialed their early-generation clones in Florida, North Carolina, and Ohio for heat tolerance screening.

Publications

  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Zotarelli, L. and P. Solano. 2023. Florida Potato Variety Trial Report, 2023. Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Volume 14. Available at https://hos.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/variety-trials/
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Porter, G.A., Andrade, M.H.M.L., P. Ocaya, and B. Plummer. 2024. 2023 MAINE POTATO VARIETY TRIALS NE2231 REGIONAL TRIALS AND ADVANCED BREEDING LINES PRESQUE ISLE, MAINE - posted on https://neproject.medius.re and distributed to industry. 2023-01, 37 pp.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: De Jong, W.S. and M. Falise. 2023. Cornell potato breeding program annual report. 29 pp. https://blogs.cornell.edu/varietytrials/potato-breeding-trials/
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Kleinhenz, M.D., and S.D. Walker. 2023. 2023 Ohio Potato Germplasm Evaluation Report - in Cooperation with the Northeast Regional Project (NE-2231), The Ohio State University Horticulture and Crop Science Series. Dec. 2023. 85 pp. https://u.osu.edu/vegprolab/technical-reports/
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Xinshun, Q., and Cohen, A., 2024. Pennsylvania Potato Research Report, 2023. Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences, January 2024. 59 pp. Plant Disease Management Reports.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Quezada, E.T., Mirabal, A.S., Mendonza, J.A., 2023. 2023 Potato Variety Evaluation for the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center, 11 pp.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Spychalla P, and De Jong WS (2024). Breeding for Potato Cyst Nematode Resistance in Solanum tuberosum. Crop Science 2024; 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.21244
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: De Jong WS, Wang X, Halseth DE, Plaisted RL, Perry KL, Qu X, Paddock KM, Falise M, Dandurand L-M, Christ BJ, and Porter GA (2024) Brodie, a Dual-Purpose Chipping and Tablestock Variety with Resistance to Pathotypes Ro1 and Ro2 of the Golden Cyst Nematode and Partial Resistance to Pathotype Pa2/3 of the Pale Cyst Nematode. American Journal of Potato Research 101:45-51. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-023-09939-x
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2024 Citation: Anglin NL, Yellareddygari SKR, Gudmestad NC, Sathuvalli V, Brown CR, Feldman M, De Jong WS, Douches DS, Yellareddygari SKR, Novy RG, Coombs JJ (2024) A Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) Identifies SNPs Associated with Resistance to Tobacco Rattle Virus (TRV) and Potato Mop-Top Virus (PMTV) in a Tetraploid Mapping Population of Potato. American Journal of Potato Research 101:1-16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-023-09933-3


Progress 09/01/22 to 08/31/23

Outputs
Target Audience:Potato growers, potato processors, home gardeners, and consumers of potatoes and potato products. Research results are delivered in written reports, popular press, web sites, and presentations at grower meetings. Variety development involves applied research which is conducted on University research station farms, commercial farms, and by home gardeners. Some of the new potato varieties go directly to consumers via supermarkets, farmers' markets, and roadside stands, while others are utilized by potato chip and/or french fry processors. The resulting processed products are purchased by consumers. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Students, technicians, and professionals working on the project learned about agricultural research, potato breeding, potato cultivar development, and the need for improved potato varieties. Members of the team are also being trained on new genomic selection techniques that can be applied to future research. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Advanced clones from our project were introduced to growers through field days, on-farm demonstrations, presentations, publications, web sites, web-based presentations, and direct contact with stakeholders at state, regional and national potato industry meetings.The advanced clones and releases from the Eastern project continue to be commercially evaluated and adopted by farmers and our industry stakeholders. Recent Eastern releases were grown on 3373 ME and NY seed acres during 2022 with a seed value of ~$11.8M. The resulting seed crop has the potential to plant 33,731 acres in 2023 with a ware value estimated at $109.6M. Nationally, varieties released by our long-term project since 2007 were grown on 8240 seed acres during 2022 with an approximate seed value of $28.8M and potential 2023 ware production value of $267.8M. Several varieties developed though our collective efforts are in the top 100 U.S. varieties based on seed acreage, including (acres, rank): Lamoka (3516, 8), Caribou Russet (1874, 12), Waneta (1504, 17), Lady Liberty (443, 37), Lehigh (307, 45), Hamlin Russet (304, 46), Keuka Gold (121, 72), Genesee (112, 75), Reba (107, 79), Eva (84, 92), and Harley Blackwell (78, 98).NY released Bliss (formerly NY163) for chip markets in 2023. Bliss has favorable yield, specific gravity, and tuber quality for chipping combined with exceptional cold sweetening resistance and chip color from storage. It has moderate scab resistance and is resistant to golden nematode (Ro1). Two of NY's recent chipping releases Waneta (NY138) and Lamoka (NY139) have been widely adopted by commercial growers. Based on 2022 certified seed acreage, Lamoka ranks 8th among US varieties in certified seed production (3516 acres) and has replaced Snowden (1455 seed acres) as the standard storage chipping variety across the US. Waneta has also been widely adopted (1504 acres of seed in 2022, 17th ranked in the US) for chipping, fresh fries, and fresh market. We estimate that the annual value of potato chip production from Lamoka and Waneta exceeds one billion dollars (~15% of U.S. chip production). Lady Liberty (NY152) was released for chipping during 2018 and has high yields, excellent chip color out of cold storage, PVY resistance, and common scab tolerance. National seed acreage totaled 443 during 2022, ranking it 37th in the U.S. just four years after its release. Twenty-six clones from the eastern states have been in the Potatoes USA fast-track chip program since 2011, and the programs supported under this grant have annually contributed up to 40% of clones in the Potatoes USA National Chip Processors Trials (NCPT).Improved fresh market whites, yellows, reds, and specialties continue to be developed by our programs and several are currently in commercial trials. NY released Brodie (NY140) as a dual-purpose table and chipstock variety with excellent marketable yields, attractive tuber skin and excellent fry color out of cold storage. It is the first US cultivar with resistance to race Ro2 of the golden nematode and it is also resistant to race Ro1. Ro1 is the long-time golden nematode pest in New York, while Ro2 is a newer race that has become increasingly difficult to manage in New York. NY recently released Algonquin, a high yielding fresh market round white with good tuber appearance as well as resistance to common scab and golden nematode. NY has also released Upstate Abundance, a specialty white with very small, bright tubers. It has potato virus Y (PVY), late blight, and golden nematode resistance as well as moderate common scab tolerance. It is being commercialized by specialty fresh market growers. The University of Maine released Pinto Gold (AF4659-12). It is a pinto-type, yellow-fleshed 'roasting' variety and that is being commercialized for small-scale local foods markets and has been favorably received in these high-value markets. Other eastern fresh market releases that continued to be used by growers include: Red Maria, a high-yielding red, Lehigh, a widely-adapted yellow-fleshed variety, and Peter Wilcox, a novel purple-skinned, yellow-fleshed variety frequently used by organic producers in the southeast. FL also is refining seedpiece spacing and harvest timing practices for optimal high-value creamer production.Caribou Russet was released by ME during 2015 for fry processing and russet fresh market. It has been rapidly adopted due to high yields, scab and verticillium resistance, and excellent consumer quality. Certified seed acreage rose to 1874 acres (#12th in the US) during 2022. Caribou Russet's cash farm value to ME seed growers was ~$6.6 M during 2022 and the estimated cash farm value when this seed crop is planted, grown, and sold in 2023 is ~$61M. It is also being evaluated and adopted in many other countries around the world. Hamlin Russet (tested as AF4124-7) was released by ME during 2021 for early fry processing and russet fresh market. It has moderate scab resistance. Certified seed acreage rose to 304 acres (#46th in the US) during 2022. AF5071-2, AF5406-7, AF5521-1, and AF5736-16 are advanced fry processing clones that are generating commercial interest, while 30 additional russeted French fry clones are currently being evaluated by North American potato processors. Our collaborative programs are ideally located to breed and select new potato varieties for the important but stressful southeast and east coast growing areas (FL, NC, VA, MD, NJ, DE, NY, and other states). These areas are characterized by short growing seasons, inconsistent rainfall leading to both deficits and flooding, early-season frosts, and late-season heat stress. Atlantic, which occupies ~50% of NC's acreage, generated ca. $10 million in NC farm-gate receipts is a major variety throughout this region. The chip industry has indicated that replacing Atlantic is a major goal for potato variety development in the U.S. Most major varieties, including Atlantic the dominant out-of-field chipping variety in the U.S., and Lamoka a current leader in storage chipping market, have passed through the eastern U.S. potato breeding collaborative. Our collaborative project is well designed and ideally situated to address future variety needs in the eastern half of the U.S. Disease and pest challenges cost the U.S. potato industry many millions of dollars annually in yield and quality losses, as well as increased control costs. Predominant diseases in the East include late blight, early blight, common scab, powdery scab, soft rot, pink rot, and potato virus Y. Developing improved varieties with resistance to these diseases is the most sustainable long-term approach to combating them. Resistant varieties result in decreased yield and quality losses, while in some cases they allow growers to reduce their use of chemical pesticides. Sometimes resistant varieties are the only practical solution to a pest problem. For example, potatoes cannot be produced in some areas of New York unless golden nematode resistant varieties are grown. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The research team plans to continue research, development, and outreach activities according to our approved project proposal and work plan.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Research activities took place in seven states (FL, ME, NC, NY, OH, PA and VA) during 2021-2023 and involved collaborations with the USDA-ARS Potato Breeding Programs in Orono, ME, Beltsville, MD, Aberdeen, ID and Madison, WI, as well as the Potatoes USA National Chip and Fry Processor's Trials. Potato breeding for improved quality and pest resistance continued in FL ME, NY, NC, and USDA-ARS during 2021-2023. Over the two-year period, our programs generated 1557 new tetraploid families (860,585 seeds) from crosses using parents with desirable quality, adaptation, and/or pest resistance traits. We are increasingly targeting improved environmental stress tolerance which will be critically important due to climate change. First-year field selections were conducted using progeny (162,580) from earlier crosses. As a result, 5320 new clones were selected for further field and laboratory evaluation under the diverse abiotic and biotic stress conditions of the eastern U.S. and beyond. The areas of emphasis for the breeding programs are: ME (russets and chippers, resistance to late blight, scab, and potato virus Y (PVY)); NC (chippers and fresh; heat tolerance and resistance to PVY); NY (chippers and fresh; resistance to scab, golden nematode, and PVY); USDA-ARS (chippers and fresh; heat tolerance and resistance to late blight and PVY). FL initiated potato breeding as part of this two-year project performing and is now conducting crosses using a set of parents well adapted to spring production in the southeast as well as heat stress tolerance. During 2022, FL screened 5895 first-year field selections and selected 54 for further evaluation. This initiative will further strengthen our region's efforts to create heat-tolerant potato germplasm with adaptation to the Southeastern US. Multi-site evaluation of early-generation clones speeds the breeding and selection process and enables us to identify both broadly- and specifically-adapted clones. Our programs are increasingly adopting new data collection technologies (e.g. Fieldbook App, Potatobase, VDM database, etc) to streamline and enhance our potato breeding efforts.Advanced clones from our project were introduced to growers through field days, on-farm demonstrations, presentations, publications, web sites, web-based presentations, and direct contact with stakeholders at state, regional and national potato industry meetings.NY released Bliss (formerly NY163) for chip markets in 2023. Bliss has favorable yield, specific gravity, and tuber quality for chipping combined with exceptional cold sweetening resistance and chip color from storage. It has moderate scab resistance and is resistant to golden nematode (Ro1). Disease resistant varieties generated by this project have the potential to greatly reduce growers' losses to devastating diseases such as late blight and can also reduce production costs. Screening trials in PA evaluated our NE1731 and advanced breeding clones for early blight, late blight, and common scab resistance. PA phenotyped a USDA-ARS diploid mapping population for late blight resistance/susceptibility. This population has now been genotyped using the SolCAP SNP chip and the resulting data will be used to produce gene/QTL maps. PA has also identified candidate genes associated with late blight, early blight and common scab tolerance using genome-wide association studies. The candidate genes were cloned and transferred into disease-susceptible varieties. The transgenic plants continued evaluation for disease resistance in field and greenhouse trials during 2021-2022. ME also conducted screening studies for susceptibility to important potato diseases (late blight, common scab, verticillium wilt, soft rot, pink rot, fusarium, potato virus Y, and potato leafroll virus). NY screens all of its advanced clones for common scab (field screening) and golden nematode (bioassay) resistance. These data are used to select resistant varieties/breeding clones. Advanced clones in our programs typically have resistance to several important potato pests and/or physiological disorders. As an example, Caribou Russet has resistance to verticillium wilt, common scab, soft rot, and powdery scab as well as excellent bruise resistance. Cornell releases typically have golden nematode resistance and scab tolerance, plus many recent releases also have resistance to PVY and late blight.Golden nematode, a serious pest found in NY and in other countries, cannot be effectively managed without resistant varieties. Marker-assisted selection for PVY and golden nematode resistance is now an integral part of our breeding programs. Our breeding programs are now adding genomic selection to our potato improvement efforts. Each year we add SNP genotyping of ~600 new clones along with phenotypic data to our potato improvement databases. These data will allow us to calibrate our selection models to improve the efficiency of our potato breeding efforts. In addition to developing improved tetraploid potato varieties, our programs are advancing future potato breeding by participating in national efforts to implement diploid potato breeding. Diploid potato breeding will simplify the breeding and genetic improvement process. During the period, USDA-ARS conducted 127 successful 2x-2x diploid crosses resulting in 17548 seeds for future research. NY has used pollination with IVP101 to generate candidate dihaploids from Brodie, Andover, and NY164 and these have now been grown out for further evaluation. ME continues research on diploid potato breeding by developing primary dihaploid progeny using the IVP48 and IVP101 haploid inducers crossed to tetraploid potato (e.g. Atlantic, Caribou Russet, NY121, and fifteen other tetraploid clones). ME currently has more than 436 primary dihaploid lines in tissue culture and field evaluated 339 primary dihaploids during 2022 to assess plant growth and tuber quality. Selected individuals will be used in future crosses to a male-fertile diploid parent in order to restore male fertility. Phenotyping and genetic studies are underway to assess potato blackleg and soft rot disease (PBSR) resistance in the ME03 primary dihaploid population, derived from Caribou Russet. Preliminary data show that a number of ME03 primary dihaploid lines have promising resistance levels when inoculated with the PBSR-causing pathogen, Dickeya dianthicola. These dihaploid populations will be useful for future breeding and for studies on inheritance of important potato diseases, such as late blight, PVY, and soft rot.Research on the genetics of internal heat necrosis (IHN) and the development of clones and populations with improved resistance to this tuber defect continued. The test site in NC provides good environmental conditions that all four breeding programs utilize in selecting for IHN resistance.During 2021 to 2022, NC screened 856 clones from twelve public US breeding programs for heat tolerance and adaptation to NC and the Southeastern US. The site characteristics and expertise present at NC are central to Potatoes USA's effort to speed development of new heat-tolerant chipping varieties for the southern US production areas (via the NCPT and EGSS chipping trials). In addition to NC, PA is now screening all ME 4th year russet clones to help select for improved heat tolerance in our russet selections.Our project web site and searchable database continues to grow in size and utility. The database has now migrated to the more powerful, user-friendly Variety Data Management (VDM) platform (https://neproject.medius.re/). This new database can provide side-by-side comparative data for potato clones and varieties as well as advanced analytical tools which help stakeholders and researchers determine which advanced clones are worthy of commercialization trials.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Fan G, Wang Q, Xu J, Chen N, Zhu W, Duan S, Yang X, De Jong WS, Guo Y, Jin L, Li G. 2022. Fine mapping and candidate gene prediction of tuber shape controlling Ro locus based on integrating genetic and transcriptomic analyses in potato. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 23:1470. https:// doi.org/10.3390/ijms23031470
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Haynes KG, Qu XS, Bamberg J. 2022. Germplasm release: true potato seed (TPS) from a late blight resistant, long-day adapted diploid potato population that is segregating for early blight resistance. American Journal of Potato Research 99:321-325.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Hoopes G, Meng X, Hamilton JP, Achakkagari SR, de Alves Freitas Guesdes F, Bolger ME, Coombs JJ, Esselink D, Kaiser NR, Kodde L, Kyriakidou M, Lavrijssen B, van Lieshout N, Shereda R, Tuttle HK, Vaillancourt B, Wood JC, de Boer JM, Bornowski N, Bourke P, Douches D, van Eck HJ, Ellis D, Feldman MJ, Gardner KM, Hopman JCP, Jiang J, De Jong WS, Kuhl JC, Novy RG, Oome S, Sathuvalli V, Tan EH, Ursum RA, Vales MI, Vining K, Visser RGF, Vossen J, Yencho GC, Anglin NL, Bachem CWB, Endelman JB, Shannon LM, Stro?mvik MV, Tai HH, Usadel B, Buell CR, and Finkers R. 2022. Phased, chromosome-scale genome assemblies of tetraploid potato reveals a complex genome, transcriptome, and predicted proteome landscape underpinning genetic diversity. Molecular Plant 15: 520-536. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molp.2022.01.003.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Krupek F, Zotarelli L, Sargent SA, Rowland DL, and Dittmar P. 2022. Vine desiccation timing strategies for enhanced harvest and storage quality of early-maturing potato cultivars. Potato Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11540-022-09550-3
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Xue WY, Haynes KG, Clarke CR, and Qu XS. 2022. Genetic dissection of early blight resistance in tetraploid potato. Frontiers in Plant Science 13:851538.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Xue WY, Haynes KG, and Qu XS. 2021. Resistance to Phytophthora infestans clonal lineage US-23 in potato cultivars and its relationship with early blight resistance and tuber yield. Plant Disease 105:3956-3966.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Andrade, M.H.L., L.G. Pesantes, C.T. Christensen, L. Sharma, L. Zotarelli. 2022. Seed spacing recommendations for table-stock potato cultivars in Florida: HS1446, 09/2022. EDIS 2022 (6). https:// doi.org/10.32473/edis-HS1446-2022
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: De Jong, W.S. and M. Falise. 2022. Cornell potato breeding program annual report. 18 pp.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Clough, M. and G.C. Yencho. North Carolina Potato Variety Trial and Breeding Report 2022. 47 pp. (available online at https://potatoes.cals.ncsu.edu/)
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Clough, M. and G.C. Yencho. North Carolina Potato Variety Trial and Breeding NE1731 State Report 2022. 12 pp. (available online at https://potatoes.cals.ncsu.edu/)
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Kleinhenz, M.D., J.M. Speicher, and S.D. Walker. 2022. 2022 Ohio Potato Germplasm Evaluation Report, Horticulture and Crop Science Series No. 887 November 2022, XX pp
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Porter, G.A., P. Ocaya, B. MacFarline, and B. Plummer. 2022. Potato variety trial results in Maine, 2021 growing season. SFA Research Report (posted on www and distributed to industry), 2021-01, 32 pp. Also available at https://neproject.medius.re
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Porter, G.A. and P. Ocaya. 2022. Progress report on advanced potato variety testing and potato PVY research - 2021 Growing Season. Report to the Maine Potato Board, February 2022, 9 pp.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Porter, G.A. and P. Ocaya. 2022. Progress report on Maine potato breeding program  2021 growing season. Report to the Maine Potato Board, February 2022, 15 pp.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Qu X.S. and M.W. Peck. 2022. Pennsylvania potato research report, 2021. Penn State College of Agricultural sciences, January 2022. (https://plantpath.psu.edu/research/areas/plant-disease-management/penn-state-potato-research-program/pennsylvania-potato-research-reports). 40 pp.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Qu XS, Xue WY, Peck MW. 2022. Evaluation of potato cultivars and breeding lines for resistance to late blight in Pennsylvania, 2021. Plant Disease Management Reports 16:V030.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Qu XS, Xue WY, Peck MW. 2022. Evaluation of potato cultivars and breeding lines for resistance to early blight in Pennsylvania, 2021. Plant Disease Management Reports 16:V029.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Qu XS, Xue WY, Peck MW. 2022. Field evaluation of potato cultivars and breeding lines for resistance to common scab in Pennsylvania, 2021. Plant Disease Management Reports 16:V031
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Torres Quezada, E. 2022. Virginia potato variety trial report, 2022. Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center, 26 pp.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Zotarelli, L. and P. Solano. 2022. Florida potato variety trial report, 2022. Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Volume 12.


Progress 09/01/21 to 08/31/22

Outputs
Target Audience:Potato growers, potato processors, home gardeners, and consumers of potatoes and potato products. Research results are delivered in written reports, popular press, web sites, and presentations at grower meetings. Variety development involves applied research which is conducted on University research station farms, commercial farms, and by home gardeners. Some of the new potato varieties go directly to consumers via supermarkets, farmers' markets, and roadside stands, while others are utilized by potato chip and/or french fry processors. The resulting processed products are purchased by consumers. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Students, technicians, and professionals working on the project learned about agricultural research, potato breeding, potato cultivar development, and the need for improved potato varieties. Members of the team are also being trained on new genomic selection techniques that can be applied to future research. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Advanced clones from our project were introduced to growers through field days, on-farm demonstrations, presentations, publications, web sites, web-based presentations, and direct contact with stakeholders at state, regional and national potato industry meetings.The advanced clones and releases from the Eastern project continue to be commercially evaluated and adopted by farmers and our industry stakeholders. Recent Eastern releases were grown on 3127 ME and NY seed acres during 2021 with a seed value of ~$10.9M. The resulting seed crop has the potential to plant 31,274 acres in 2022 with a ware value estimated at $101.6M. Nationally, varieties released by our long-term project since 2007 were grown on 7369 seed acres during 2021 with an approximate seed value of $25.8M and potential ware production value of $239.4M. Several varieties developed though our collective efforts are in the top 100 U.S. varieties based on seed acreage, including (acres, rank): Lamoka (3108, 8), Waneta (1511, 15), Caribou Russet (1476, 16), Lady Liberty (629, 31), Lehigh (283, 48), Reba (126, 71), Hamlin Russet (90, 81), Eva (88, 83), and Genesee (73, 92).Two of NY's recent chipping releases Waneta (NY138) and Lamoka (NY139) have been widely adopted by commercial growers. Based on 2021 certified seed acreage, Lamoka ranks 8th among US varieties in certified seed production (3108 acres) and has replaced Snowden (1874 seed acres) as the standard storage chipping variety across the US. Waneta has also been widely adopted (1511 acres of seed in 2021, 15th ranked in the US) for chipping and fresh market. We estimate that the annual value of potato chip production from Lamoka and Waneta exceeds one billion dollars (~15% of U.S. chip production). Lady Liberty, formerly NY152, was released for chipping during 2018 and has high yields, excellent chip color out of cold storage, potato virus Y and common scab resistance. National seed acreage increased to 629 during 2021, ranking it 31st in the US just three years after its official variety release. Twenty-three clones from the eastern states have been in the Potatoes USA fast-track chip program since 2011, and the programs supported under this grant have annually contributed up to 40% of clones in the Potatoes USA National Chip Processors Trials (NCPT).Improved fresh market whites, yellows, reds, and specialties continue to be developed by our programs and several are currently in commercial trials. NY released Brodie (NY140) as a dual-purpose table and chipstock variety with excellent marketable yields, attractive tuber skin and excellent fry color out of cold storage. It is the first US cultivar with resistance to race Ro2 of the golden nematode and it is also resistant to race Ro1. Ro1 is the long-time golden nematode pest in New York, while Ro2 is a newer race that has become increasingly difficult to manage in New York. NY recently released Algonquin, a high yielding fresh market round white with good tuber appearance as well as resistance to common scab and golden nematode. NY has also released Upstate Abundance, a specialty white with very small, bright tubers. It has potato virus Y (PVY), late blight, and golden nematode resistance as well as moderate common scab tolerance. It is being commercialized by specialty fresh market growers. The University of Maine released Pinto Gold (AF4659-12). It is a pinto-type, yellow-fleshed 'roasting' variety and that is being commercialized by small-scale local foods markets and has been favorably received in this high-value market. Other eastern fresh market releases that continued to be used by growers include: Red Maria, a high-yielding red, Lehigh, a widely-adapted yellow-fleshed variety, and Peter Wilcox, a novel purple-skinned, yellow-fleshed variety frequently used by organic producers in the southeast.Caribou Russet was released by ME during 2015 for fry processing and russet fresh market. It is rapidly being adopted due to high yields, scab and verticillium resistance, and excellent consumer quality. Certified seed acreage rose to 1476 acres (#16th in the US) during 2021. Caribou Russet's cash farm value to ME seed growers was ~$5.2 M during 2021 and the estimated cash farm value when this seed crop is planted, grown, and sold in 2022 is ~$47.9M. It is also being evaluated and adopted in many other countries around the world. Hamlin Russet (tested as AF4124-7) was released by ME during 2020 for early fry processing and russet fresh market. It has moderate scab resistance. Certified seed acreage rose to 90 acres (#81st in the US) during 2021. AF5071-2 and AF5406-7 are advanced fry processing clones that are generating commercial interest, while 30 additional russeted French fry clones are currently being evaluated by North American potato processors.Our collaborative programs are ideally located to breed and select new potato varieties for the important but stressful southeast and east coast growing areas (FL, NC, VA, MD, NJ, DE, NY, and other states). These areas are characterized by short growing seasons, inconsistent rainfall leading to both deficits and flooding, early-season frosts, and late-season heat stress. Atlantic, which occupies ~50% of NC's acreage, generated ca. $10 million in NC farm-gate receipts is a major variety throughout this region. The chip industry has indicated that replacing Atlantic is a major goal for potato variety development in the U.S. Most major varieties, including Atlantic the dominant out-of-field chipping variety in the U.S., and Lamoka a current leader in storage chipping market, have passed through the eastern U.S. potato breeding collaborative. Our collaborative project is well designed and ideally situated to address future variety needs in the eastern half of the U.S. Disease and pest challenges cost the U.S. potato industry many millions of dollars annually in yield and quality losses, as well as increased control costs. Predominant diseases in the East include late blight, early blight, common scab, powdery scab, soft rot, pink rot, and potato virus Y. Developing improved varieties with resistance to these diseases is the most sustainable long-term approach to combating them. Resistant varieties result in decreased yield and quality losses, while in some cases they allow growers to reduce their use of chemical pesticides. Sometime resistant varieties are the only practical solution to a pest problem. For example, potatoes cannot be produced in some areas of New York unless golden nematode resistant varieties are grown. ? What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The research team plans to continue research, development, and outreach activities according to our approved project proposal and work plan.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Research activities took place in seven states (FL, ME, NC, NY, OH, PA and VA) during 2021-2022 and involved collaborations with the USDA-ARS Potato Breeding Programs in Beltsville, MD, Aberdeen, ID and Madison, WI, as well as the Potatoes USA National Chip and Fry Processor's Trials.Potato breeding for improved quality and pest resistance continued in ME, NY, NC, and USDA-ARS during 2021-2022. Our programs generated 768 new tetraploid families (366,057 seeds) from crosses using parents with desirable quality, adaptation, and/or pest resistance traits. We are increasingly targeting improved environmental stress tolerance which will be critically important into the future due to climate change. First-year field selections were conducted using progeny (65,511) from earlier crosses. As a result, 2031 new clones were selected for further field and laboratory evaluation under the diverse abiotic and biotic stress conditions of the eastern U.S. and beyond. The areas of emphasis for the breeding programs are: ME (russets and chippers, resistance to late blight, scab, and potato virus Y (PVY)); NC (chippers and fresh; heat tolerance and resistance to PVY); NY (chippers and fresh; resistance to scab, golden nematode, and PVY); USDA-ARS (chippers and fresh; heat tolerance and resistance to late blight and PVY). FL initiated potato breeding during 2021 performing 151 crosses using a set of parents well adapted to spring production. This initiative will further strengthen our region's efforts to create heat-tolerant potato germplasm with adaptation to the Southeastern US. Multi-site evaluation of early-generation clones speeds the breeding and selection process and enables us to identify both broadly- and specifically-adapted clones.Disease screening is an important part of potato variety development. Disease resistant varieties generated by this project have the potential to greatly reduce growers' losses to devastating diseases such as late blight and can also reduce production costs. Screening trials in PA evaluated our NE1731 and advanced breeding clones for early blight, late blight, and common scab resistance. During 2021, ME also conducted screening studies for susceptibility to important potato diseases (late blight, common scab, verticillium wilt, soft rot, pink rot, fusarium, potato virus Y, and potato leafroll virus). These data are used to select resistant varieties/breeding clones. NY's long-term effort at increasing the frequency of PVY resistance in its germplasm is bearing fruit. Eight of the 11 most advanced clones in the program carry a marker that is tightly linked to the Ryadg gene for PVY resistance. All advanced NY clones are field screened for common scab resistance, while all are also screened for golden nematode resistance (via bioassay) and PVY resistance (via DNA-based marker). All 2nd year NC clones are screened for the presence or absence of PVY resistance genes (Ryadg and Rysto) as well as for golden nematode resistance (via the H1 DNA-based marker); 27, 4, and 41% tested positive for the respective resistance markers during 2021. ME also uses these DNA-based markers to select and advance PVY and golden nematode resistance potato germplasm. Through its plant disease research, PA has identified candidate genes associated with late blight, early blight and common scab resistance using genome-wide association studies. The candidate genes were cloned and transferred into disease susceptible varieties. The transgenic plants were evaluated for disease resistance in field trials during 2021. Experiments in ME are being used to identify clones with resistance to pink rot, fusarium, black leg, and soft rot. Caribou Russet from the ME breeding program and several diploid clones from USDA-ARS at Beltsville have shown high levels of resistance to blackleg and soft rot's causative organisms, Dickeya dianthicola and Pectobacterium parmentieri. These clones will be further investigated by genomic mapping. Dihaploid breeding populations under development in ME will facilitate this process.Our breeding programs are now adding genomic selection to our potato improvement efforts. Each year we add SNP genotyping of ~600 new clones along with phenotypic data to our potato improvement databases. These data will allow us to calibrate our selection models to improve the efficiency of our potato breeding efforts. In addition to developing improved tetraploid potato varieties, our programs are advancing future potato breeding by participating in national efforts to implement diploid potato breeding. Diploid potato breeding will simplify the breeding and genetic improvement process. During 2021, USDA-ARS conducted 25 successful 2x-2x diploid crosses resulting in 2493 seeds for future research as well as two 4x-2x crosses resulting in 159 seeds for future research. NY has used pollination with IVP101 to generate candidate dihaploids from Brodie, Andover, and NY164 and these have now been grown out for further evaluation. ME continues research on diploid potato breeding by developing primary dihaploid progeny using the IVP48 haploid inducer crossed to tetraploid potato (e.g. Atlantic, Caribou Russet, NY121, and five other tetraploid clones). ME currently has 436 primary dihaploid lines in tissue culture. These lines are being phenotyped by chloroplast counting and other methods. Additionally, whole genome sequencing libraries were generated and Illumina genomic sequencing is being performed. These populations will be useful for future breeding and for studies on inheritance of important potato diseases, such as late blight, potato virus Y, and soft rot.Research on the genetics of internal heat necrosis (IHN) and the development of clones and populations with improved resistance to this tuber defect continued. The test site in NC provides good environmental conditions that all four breeding programs utilize in selecting for IHN resistance.During 2021, NC screened 518 clones from twelve public US breeding programs for heat tolerance and adaptation to NC and the Southeastern US. The site characteristics and expertise present at NC are central to Potatoes USA's effort to speed development of new heat-tolerant chipping varieties for the southern US production areas (via the NCPT and EGSS chipping trials). In addition to NC, PA is now screening all ME 3rd and 4th year russet clones (78 during 2021) to help select for improved heat tolerance in our russet selections.In a previous study of the NC mapping population, B2721, we detected quantitative trait loci (QTL) for IHN on chromosomes 1, 5, 9, and 12, with the QTL models for IHN explaining roughly 28 and 25% of the variation for IHN incidence and severity. During the 2019-2020 cycle NC conducted RNAseq IHN presence/absence expression analysis studies using the susceptible variety Atlantic and a combination of greenhouse and phytotron studies to see if we could identify candidate genes associated with IHN expression and map these onto the potato genetic map. These studies provided interesting results; however, they were discontinued as the postdoctoral scientist assigned to this project took a job in private industry, and we currently do not have funding to continue this line of research as the studies are expensive and require high-level bioinformatics support.Our project web site and searchable database continues to grow in size and utility. The database has now migrated to a more powerful and the user-friendly Variety Data Management platform (https://neproject.medius.re/). The web site provides current contact information for project cooperators and recent research reports, as well as access to our regional variety database and a dynamic summary generator for all released varieties. This new database can provide side-by-side comparative data for potato clones and varieties as well as advanced analytical tools.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Andrade, M.H.M.L., A.L.B.R. da Silva, L.G. Pesantes, C.T.Christensen, and L. Zotarelli. 2021. Seed piece spacing for early-maturing table-stock potato grown under subtropical conditions. Am. J. Potato Res. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-021-09838-z
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Brown-Donovan, K.M., G.A. Porter, and E.H., Tan. 2021. Late blight resistance profiles of elite potato germplasm in the United States. American Journal of Potato Research doi: 10.1007/s12230-021-09837-0
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Christensen, C.T., L. Zotarelli, K.G. Haynes, and J. Colee. 2021. Quantifying Solanum chacoense root morphology responses to limited nitrogen supply using in vitro, hydroponic, and field monolith methods. Am. J. Potato Res. 98:246-254. DOI: 10.1007/s12230-021-09829-0
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Curland, R.D., A. Mainello, K.L. Perry, J. Hao, A.O. Charkowski, C.T. Bull, S. Johnson, N. Rosenzweig, G.A. Secor, and C.A. Ishimaru. 2021. Species of Dickeya and Pectobacterium associated with 2015-2016 outbreaks of soft rot and blackleg of potato in Northeastern and North Central United States. Microorganisms 9(8):1733. DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9081733.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: De Jong, W.S., D.E. Halseth, R.L. Plaisted, X. Wang, K.L. Perry, X., Qu, K.M. Paddock, M. Falise, B.J. Christ, and G.A. Porter. 2020. Waneta, a variety with excellent chip color out of cold storage, long tuber dormancy, and resistance to the golden cyst nematode. American Journal of Potato Research 97:580-585.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Ge, T., H. Jiang, E.H. Tan, S.B. Johnson, R.P. Larkin, A.O. Charkowski, G. Secor, and J. Hao. 2021. Pangenomic analysis of Dickeya dianthicola strains reveals the outbreak of blackleg and soft rot of potato in USA. Plant Disease doi: 10.1094/PDIS-03-21-0587-RE
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Ge, T., H. Jiang, S.B. Johnson, R.P. Larkin, A.O. Charkowski, G. Secor, and J. Hao. 2021. Genotyping Dickeya dianthicola causing potato blackleg and soft rot outbreak associated with inoculum geography in the United States. Plant Disease xx-xxx. DOI: 10.1094/PDIS-10-20-2138-RE.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Ge, T., S.B. Johnson, R.P. Larkin, L Luo, X. Liu, and J. Hao. 2021. Interaction between Dickeya dianthicola and Pectobacterium parmentieri in potato infection under field conditions. Microorganisms 9(2): 316. DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9020316
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Hao, J., and K. Ashley. 2021. Irreplaceable role of amendment-based strategies to enhance soil health and disease suppression in potato production 9:1660. DOI: 10.3390/ microorganisms9081660.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Lee, W.C., L. Zotarelli, D.L. Rowland, and G. Liu. 2021. Evaluation of potato varieties grown in hydroponics for phosphorus use efficiency. Agriculture, 11(7), 668. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11070668
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Levina, A.V., O. Hoekenga, M. Gordin, C., Broeckling, and W.S. De Jong. 2021. Genetic analysis of potato tuber metabolite composition: genome-wide association studies applied to a non-targeted metabolome, Crop Science 61:591-603. https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.20398
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Mishra, S., J. Dee, W. Moar, J. Dufner-Beattie, J. Baum, N.P. Dias, A. Alyokhin, A. Buzza, S.I. Rondon, M. Clough, S. Menasha, R. Groves, J. Clements, K. Ostlie, G. Felton, T. Waters, W.E. Snyder, and J.L. Jurat-Fuentes. 2021. Selection for high levels of resistance to double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) in Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say) using non-transgenic foliar delivery. Sci Rep 11, 6523. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-85876-1
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: da Silva Pereira, G., Mollinari, M., Schumann, M.J., Clough, M.E., Zeng, Z.B., and G.C. Yencho, 2021. The recombination landscape and multiple QTL mapping in a Solanum tuberosum cv. Atlantic-derived F1 population. Heredity 126, 817830. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41437-021-00416-x
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Rens, L.R., L. Zotarelli, A.L.B.R. da Silva, Ferreira, C.J.B., C.A. Tormena, D.L. Rowland, and K.T. Morgan. 2021. Managing water table depth thresholds for potato subirrigation. Agricultural Water Management, 259:107236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2021.107236
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Tooley, B.E., E.B. Mallory, G.A Porter, and G. Hoogenboom. 2021. Predicting the response of a potato-grain production system to climate change for a humid continental climate using DSSAT. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. 307 (2021) 108452
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Krupek, F.S., P.J. Dittmar, S.A. Sargent, L. Zotarelli, and D.L. Rowland. 2021. Impact of early potato desiccation method on crop growth, skinning injury, and storage quality maintenance. Am. J. Potato Res. doi:10.1007/s12230-021-09836-1
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Jansky S.H., W.S. De Jong, D.S. Douches, K.G. Haynes, and D.G. Holm. 2021. Cultivar Improvement with Exotic Germplasm: An Example from Potato. In: The Wild Solanums Genomes. D. Carputo, R. Aversano, M.R. Ercolano, Eds. Springer, Cham, Switzerland. pp 215-230. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-30343-3_12
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: De Jong, W.S. and M. Falise. 2021. Cornell potato breeding program annual report. 33 pp.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Clough, M. and G.C. Yencho. North Carolina Potato Variety Trial and Breeding Report 2021. 41 pp. (available online at https://potatoes.cals.ncsu.edu/)
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Ge, T. 2021. Characterization of Dickeya dianthicola and Pectobacterium parmentieri causing blackleg and soft rot on potato. University of Maine, Ph.D.dissertation.
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2021 Citation: Kleinhenz, M.D., and S.D. Walker. 2021. 2021 Ohio potato germplasm evaluation report, in Cooperation with the Northeast (NE-1731) Regional Project, The Ohio State University Horticulture and Crop Science Series No. 886, Nov. 2021. 51 pp.
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Li, K. 2021. Determining effects of management on potato early dying and soil microbiome and assessing risk of fungicide resistance in Verticillium dahliae. University of Maine, M.S. thesis
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Porter, G.A., P. Ocaya, B. MacFarline, and B. Plummer. 2021. Potato variety trial results in Maine, 2021 growing season. SFA Research Report (posted on www and distributed to industry), 2021-01, 32 pp. Also available at https://neproject.medius.re
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Qu X.S. and M.W. Peck. 2021. Pennsylvania potato research report, 2020. Penn State College of Agricultural sciences, January 2021. 40 pp. Plant Disease Management Reports 15:V033. (https://plantpath.psu.edu/research/areas/plant-disease-management/penn-state-potato-research-program/pennsylvania-potato-research-reports).
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Qu X.S., W.Y. Xue, and M.W. Peck. 2021. Field evaluation of potato cultivars and breeding lines for resistance to late blight in Pennsylvania, 2020. Plant Disease Management Reports 15:V033.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Qu X.S., W.Y. Xue, and M.W. Peck. 2021. Field evaluation of potato cultivars and breeding lines for resistance to early blight in Pennsylvania, 2020. Plant Disease Management Reports 15:V036.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Torres Quezada, E. and M. Reiter. 2021. Virginia potato variety trial report, 2021. Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center, 27 pp.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Zotarelli, L. and P. Solano. 2021. Florida potato variety trial report, 2021. Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Volume 12. Available at https://hos.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/variety-trials/
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Qu X.S., M.W. Peck, and X.Y. Xue. 2021. Evaluation of fungicides for control of potato early blight in Pennsylvania, 2020. Plant Disease Management Reports 15:V034.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Qu X.S., M.W. Peck, and X.Y. Xue. 2021. Evaluation of foliar fungicides for control of potato late blight in Pennsylvania, 2020. Plant Disease Management Reports 15:V035.