Beacon Chipper: A Round White Chip-Processing Potato Variety

American Journal of Potato Research, May/Jun 2006 by Douches, D S, Coombs, J, Hammerschmidt, R, Kirk, W W, Et al

ABSTRACT

'Beacon Chipper' is a high-yielding, round white potato for the chip-processing market. This variety has an attractive round appearance with shallow eyes and high percentage of oversize tubers. Specific gravity in Michigan ranges from 1.077 to 1.083. Beacon Chipper may fit a window in raw product requirements between out-of-the-field 'Atlantic' crop and a late storage crop. This variety has some tolerance to common scab (Steptomyces scabies Thaxter) in comparison to Atlantic and 'Snowden'. Beacon Chipper also has good chip-processing storage characteristics (light color and low amount of defects) and better tolerance to pressure bruise than Snowden. Based upon nitrogen and spacing management studies, we recommend that Beacon Chipper be planted at 20-cm within-row spacing with 180 lbs N/acre to maximize U.S. No. 1 yield and quality. The origin and pedigree of Beacon Chipper is currently unknown, despite extensive fingerprint analyses. The name Beacon Chipper was chosen to reflect the common nautical theme of Michigan and Maine.

RESUMEN

Beacon Chipper es una variedad de papa de alto rendimiento, de tub�rculos redondos, blancos, apropiados para el mercado de procesamiento de hojuelas. Esta variedad tiene una atractiva apariencia redonda con ojos poco profundos y un alto porcentaje de tub�rculos de gran tama�o. La gravedad espec�fica en Michigan var�a de 1.077 a 1.083. Beacon Chipper puede llenar el vac�o de materia prima requerido del producto entre el cultivo de Atlantic despu�s de cosecha y uno de almacenamiento tard�o. Esta variedad tiene cierta tolerancia a la sarna com�n (Steptomyces scabies Thaxter) en comparaci�n con Atlantic y Snowden. Beacon Chipper tiene tambi�n buenas caracter�sticas de almacenamiento del producto en hojuelas (color claro y pocos defectos) y mejor tolerancia a las magulladuras por presi�n que Snowden. Tomando como base estudios de manejo de nitr�geno y espaciamiento se recomienda que Beacon Chipper se siembre a 20 cm entre surcos con 180 lbs de N/acre para llevar al m�ximo el rendimiento y calidad de U.S. No. 1. El origen y genealog�a de Beacon Chipper es generalmente desconocido a pesar de un amplio an�lisis de su perfil de ADN. El nombre de Beacon Chipper fue escogido para reflejar el tema n�utico de Michigan y Maine.

Accepted for publication 28 December 2005.

ADDITIONAL KEY WORDS: Solanum tuberosum, cultivar, Streptomyces scabies

BACKGROUND

'Beacon Chipper' is a new round white potato variety (Solanum tubcmsum L.) identified at Michigan State University, Maine seed Potato Board, and Maine Potato Board that can be grown for chip-processing markets. Beacon Chipper was evaluated as Unknown Eastern Chipper (UEC). Beacon Chipper is a high-yielding, round white potato with an attractive round appearance with shallow eyes. Specific gravity in Michigan ranges from 1.077 to 1.083 for this variety. Beacon Chipper should fit into Michigan's production scheme by filling a window in raw product requirements between out-of-the-field 'Atlantic' crop and a late storage crop. Beacon Chipper has been observed to be tolerant of mid-season heat stress with early to mid-season bulking. This variety has some tolerance to Streptomyces scabies (common scab) in comparison to Atlantic and 'Snowden'. Beacon Chipper also has good chipprocessing storage characteristics and better tolerance to pressure bruise than Snowden. The origin and pedigree of Beacon Chipper is currently unknown, despite extensive fingerprint analysis.

Beacon Chipper was previously tested and labeled as the done B0766-3 and then as UEC. The correctly labeled B0766-3 is a USDA/ARS Beltsville, MD, potato clone. The two clones Beacon Chipper and B0766-3 have undergone fingerprint analysis at Michigan State University, and the pattern of B0766-3 does not match that of Beacon Chipper. Thus, the Beacon Chipper done tested was first incorrectly referred to as B07663. No known variety or breeding clone matches the Beacon Chipper fingerprint pattern to date.

Beacon Chipper seed that was used for all trials in Michigan from 2001 to 2004 was obtained from Devoe seed Farm, Limestone, ME. The initial seed stock was obtained from the Maine State seed Farm (Porter seed Farm). The Michigan State University fingerprint data of Beacon Chipper shows an identical match between the Devoe Farm seed and the tissue culture plantlets at the Porter seed Farm from which all the seed labeled as Beacon Chipper has been derived.

VARIETAL DESCRIPTION

Plant Vine and Foliage

Growth habit: medium to tall height, semi-erect with a balance between stems and foliage visible. Stems: anthocyanin absent, wings are medium. Leaves: medium-green (Royal Horticulture Society [RHS] Color Chart value 137A) with thickly dense, short pubescence; medium leaf silhouette; petiole anthocyanin coloration is absent; leaf stipules are medium sized. Terminal leaflets: medium ovate with acuminate tip and cordate base, with weak leaflet margin waviness. Primary leaflets: four to five pairs per leaf, narrowly ovate leaf shape, with acuminate tip and cordate base. secondary and tertiary leaflets: five pairs. Vine maturity: mid-season (120 days).