La Belle Russet: An early maturing, dual-purpose variety having a high percentage of marketable yield, long tuber dormancy, and a reduced incidence of sugar ends

Authors: Novy, Richard - Rich; Whitworth, Jonathan; STARK, JEFF - Retired Non ARS Employee; SPEAR, RHETT - University Of Idaho; Schneider, Brian; PAVEK, MARK - Washington State University; KNOWLES, N - Retired Non ARS Employee; KNOWLES, LISA - Retired Non ARS Employee; CHARLTON, BRIAN - Oregon State University; SATHUVALLI, VIDYASAGAR - Oregon State University; YILMA, SOLOMON - Oregon State University; BROWN, CHARLES - Retired ARS Employee; BRANDT, TINA - Jr Simplot Company; WANG, YI - University Of Wisconsin; THORNTON, MIKE - University Of Idaho; OLSEN, N - University Of Idaho

Submitted to: American Journal of Potato Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/21/2021
Publication Date: 12/2/2021
Citation: Novy, R.G., Whitworth, J.L., Stark, J.C., Spear, R.R., Schneider, B.L., Pavek, M.J., Knowles, N.R., Knowles, L.O., Charlton, B.A., Sathuvalli, V., Yilma, S., Brown, C.R., Brandt, T.L., Wang, Y., Thornton, M., Olsen, N. 2021. La Belle Russet: An early maturing, dual-purpose variety having a high percentage of marketable yield, long tuber dormancy, and a reduced incidence of sugar ends. American Journal of Potato Research. 98:395-410. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-021-09853-0.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-021-09853-0

Interpretive Summary: Desirable characteristics in a potato variety include high marketable yield, long tuber dormancy, and versatile end uses. Long tuber dormancy allows for a longer duration of storage and retention of tuber quality which begins to degrade once tubers begin sprouting. Researchers at USDA-ARS, Aberdeen, Idaho, and the Agricultural Experiment Stations of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, recently developed a new potato variety, La Belle Russet. This russet-skin potato variety is suitable for use in processing as well as for fresh consumption. It also has a long tuber dormancy that is comparable to that of Russet Burbank; a variety which is recognized for having the longest tuber dormancy among North American potato varieties. This variety compares very favorably to Russet Norkotah, the current industry standard that is representative of an early maturing, russeted potato variety. In early-harvested yield trials, La Belle Russet had total and marketable yields comparable to Russet Norkotah. However, unlike Russet Norkotah, La Belle Russet can be processed into French fries following storage and has a low incidence of “fry sugar ends”, a defect of French fries characterized by one end of the fry being unacceptably dark and unattractive to consumers. In full-season yield trials, total yields of La Belle Russet tends to be lower than Ranger Russet and Russet Burbank. However, marketable yields of La Belle Russet is comparable to these industry standards due to it having a significantly higher percentage of tubers with no external defects. La Belle Russet represents the regional research efforts of the Pacific Northwest Potato Variety (Tri-State) Development Program.

Technical Abstract: La Belle Russet is an early-maturing, medium-russeted, potato variety with attractive tubers across environments that is suitable for both fresh-pack and processing. In early-harvest trials, La Belle Russet had total and marketable yields comparable to Russet Norkotah. However, unlike Russet Norkotah, La Belle Russet can be processed into French fries following up to 7 months storage at 8.9°C and has a low incidence of sugar ends. La Belle Russet is also unusual for an early-maturing variety, in having a long tuber dormancy that is comparable to that of Russet Burbank; a variety which is recognized for having the longest tuber dormancy among North American potato varieties. In full-season trials, total yield of the earlier-maturing La Belle Russet tended to be lower than Ranger Russet and Russet Burbank, however its marketable yield was comparable to these industry standards due to its significantly higher percentage of U.S. No. 1 tubers—reflecting its low incidence of tubers having growth cracks and second growth. La Belle Russet has shown significantly lower levels of the amino acid asparagine relative to Ranger Russet and Russet Burbank which may contribute to lower acrylamide levels in French fries and other processed potato products. La Belle Russet has moderate resistance to common scab (Streptomyces spp.) and Fusarium dry rot (F. sol var. coeruleum). La Belle Russet was released in 2019 by the USDA-ARS and the Agricultural Experiment Stations of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, and is a product of the Pacific Northwest Potato Variety (Tri-State) Development Program.