Alturas: A multi-purpose, russet potato cultivar with high yield and tuber specific gravity

American Journal of Potato Research, Sep/Oct 2003 by Novy, R G, Corsini, D L, Love, S L, Pavek, J J, Et al

ABSTRACT

'Alturas', a late-maturing, high-yielding, russet potato cultivar with high tuber specific gravity, was released in 2002 by the USDA-ARS and the Agricultural Experiment Stations of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Originally selected for dehydration processing, its cold-sweetening resistance also makes it suitable for processing out of storage into french fries and other frozen potato products. Culinary quality is high, with larger tubers suitable for fresh market if heavily russeted skin is not essential. Alturas consistently produced greater total and U.S. No. 1 yields than 'Russet Burbank' and 'Ranger Russet' in southern Idaho trials. Across other western trial sites, total yields of Alturas have on average been 29% and 14% greater than Russet Burbank and Ranger Russet, respectively. Alturas is resistant to Verticillium wilt (Verticillium dahliae) and early blight (Alternaria solani). Compared with Russet Burbank and Ranger Russet, Alturas is less susceptible to corky ringspot and foliar and tuber infection by late blight (Phytophthora infestans). It also is less susceptible to tuber net necrosis and Fusarium dry rot than Russet Burbank, and is more resistant to common scab (Streptomyces scabies) than Ranger Russet. However, Alturas is more susceptible to infection by PVY and PVX than Ranger Russet. Total nitrogen application recommendations for Alturas are approximately 40% less than those for Russet Burbank. Alturas requires 15% to 20% more water during the growing season than does Russet Burbank.

Accepted for publication 28 May 2003.

ADDITIONAL KEY WORDS: Solanum luberosum, variety, release, breeding.

INTRODUCTION

Alturas was first grown and selected in the field at Aberdeen, ID, in 1989. Designated as A82360-7, it originated from a 1982 cross between russeted selections A77182-1 and A75188-3. Potato cultivars in the pedigree of Alturas (Figure 1) include Atlantic (Webb et al. 1978), Lemhi Russet (Pavek et al. 1981), Lenape (Akeley et al. 1967), Nooksack (Hoyman and Holland 1974), Norgold Russet (Johansen 1965), Pioneer (Miller and O'Keefe 1963), Viking (Johansen et al. 1963), and Wauseon (Cunningham et al. 1968).

Alturas was evaluated as a 12-hill selection in 1990, and from 1991 through 2002 in replicated yield trials in Idaho. Aluras was entered in Tri-State trials in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington in 1994, and subsequently advanced to the Western Regional Trials where it was evaluated at sites in California, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, and Washington from 1995-1997. Seed increases and commercial trials of Alturas were conducted in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.

On the basis of research and commercial trials, the decision was made to release A82360-7 as Alturas. The name, Alturas, refers to a prehistoric lake that covered much of south-central Idaho; a smaller Alturas Lake is present in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area of central Idaho. Release documents were completed in 2002.

VARIETAL DESCRIPTION

Plants (Figure 2A)

Growth Habit: Large, semi-erect vine, with a semi-closed canopy and late maturity (approximately 2-3 weeks later than Russet Burbank). Stems: Green, with moderate anthocyanin pigmentation, and straight-edged stem wings (1-2 mm wide). Leaves (Figure 2B): Yellow-green, moderately pubescent with a medium-open silhouette; weak pigmentation of petioles. Terminal leaflets: Narrowly ovate, with an acuminate tip, cuneate base, and slightly wavy margins; average length of 80 mm, width of 38 mm (100 leaves). Primary leaflets: Range of four to six pairs, with an average of 5.0; narrowly ovate with an acuminate tip and obtuse base. Secondary leaflets: Range of zero to five pairs, average of 3.0. Tertiary leaflets: Range of zero to five pairs, average of 1.0. Stipules: Small, semi-clasping.

Flowers (Figure 2B)

Inflorescences: Range of one to eight inflorescences per plant, average of 3.1, with a range of nine to 19 buds/inflorescence; moderate pigmentation of calyx. Corolla: White, rotate shape, with a mean width of 37 mm. Anthers: Yellow (Value 13A, Royal Horticultural Society Color Chart, London, England), broad cone-shaped, with abundant pollen shed; successfully used as a male parent. Stigma: Capitate. Berries: Low numbers generally found in the field; successfully used as a female parent in sexual hybridizations.

Tubers (Figure 2C)

Oval to oblong, width and thickness comparable to Russet Burbank, but an average of 16 mm shorter than Russet Burbank (100 tubers 170-280 g); mean length: 102 mm (range 76-130), mean width: 68 mm (range 56-78), mean thickness: 59 (range 49-71). Set: Medium (8-15/hill). Skin: Tan to brown color; light russeting. Eyes: Shallow to intermediate depth, with a mean number of 14 eyes/tuber concentrated near the apical end; eyebrows are not prominent. Flesh: White. Dormancy: In a one-year storage trial, Alturas had a dormancy of 110 days following storage at 7.3 C, as compared with Russet Burbank at 155 days (Gale Kleinkopf, pers comm). Dormancy break is based on 80% of tubers showing one or more eyes with growth greater than peeping but