12-30 IAN Russet
Potato growers interested in producing the recently released Classic Russet variety will find detailed information on storing it in a new University of Idaho Extension online publication, “Storage Management of Classic Russet Potatoes.” Classic Russet was studied for three storage years at the University of Idaho’s Potato Storage Research Facility at the Kimberly Research and Extension Center. Extension potato specialist Nora Olsen is very high on this new variety of potato: “We are very excited about this new variety, Classic Russett, and what we do at the University of Idaho, we have a very strong storage research program that’s dedicated to looking at many of these new varieties that are being released out into the industry.”
It has qualities that are comparable to Russet Burbank, it shows good potential for early processing, and earns top scores for fresh-market merit. During the study’s 2003-07 duration, the researchers found that dormancy length in Classic Russet is 20-30 days shorter than Russet Burbank and, while Classic Russet’s glucose concentrations are generally lower than Russet Burbank’s at 45 and 48 degrees Fahrenheit, they are higher at 42 degrees Fahrenheit. Perhaps the most significant difference between the two varieties is that Classic Russet incurred an average 57 percent more weight loss in storage across the three temperatures.
