01/15/07 Premier Russet, new dual purpose spud

The Tri-State Potato Variety Development Program recently approved the release of three new potato varieties, one of them the much anticipated dual purpose potato Premier Russet. University of Idaho agronomist Jeff Stark says Premier Russet produced high yields of US Number 1 tubers. STARK "Has excellent fry color from cold storage, has good resistance to sugaring, tuber malformations. One of its major assets is that it's highly resistant to the accumulation of reducing sugars following long term storage at colder temperatures." Because of its storage qualities at temperatures as cold as 40 degrees Stark expects to see a lot of Premier Russets grown in Idaho and the west. STARK "Very competitive variety with the Russet varieties that are already being grown, grown particularly for processing. A pretty attractive tuber so we think it will be acceptable in the fresh market as well." A second new variety that it produces a high yield of relatively large, uniform tubers is Highland Russet, a potato that is of interest to processors. STARK "Has high specific gravity and has good processing quality, has excellent fry recovery from the field and from storage. High yield of relatively uniform tubers." Yukon Gem is the third new spud, a mid-season yellow-fleshed variety primarily for fresh specialty markets. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott