Commercially Released Potato Varieties

Additionally, one-page variety profile information can be found here for the following potato varieties developed by the MSU Potato Breeding and Genetics program.

A yellow-flesh tablestock variety with late blight resistance

Jacqueline Lee

Potato Breeding and Genetics
Department of Crop and Soil Sciences
East Lansing, Michigan  48824

A one-page overview for Jacqueline Lee is available here (pdf).

Contact information:

Michigan State University
Dave Douches, Ph.D.  517-355-0271 x 1198  or   douchesd@msu.edu

Michigan Potato Industry Commission
517-669-8377

Michigan Seed Potato Association
989-732-4433

A Purple-Skinned, White-Flesh Tablestock Variety

Michigan Purple

Potato Breeding and Genetics
Department of Crop and Soil Sciences
East Lansing, Michigan  48824

Michigan Purple is a purple-skinned tablestock variety developed at Michigan State University. The tubers have an attractive, round shape and a strong iridescent purple skin.  The tuber flesh is a brilliant white with excellent internal quality and does not darken after cooking.

Michigan Purple is the first variety released in the US with this unique appearance of purple skin and bright white flesh.  Under irrigated conditions the yield is high and has mid-early vine maturity.  Plant Variety Protection is underway for Michigan Purple.

The Michigan Purple tubers can be used for baking, mashing, and microwave cooking and have excellent taste quality.  The purple-skinned, white-fleshed tubers of Michigan Purple offer a unique type that could lend itself to the specialty variety market, such as farm and road-side markets.

A one-page overview for Michigan Purple is available here (pdf).

A Round White Chip-processing Variety
with Resistance to Potato Common Scab
 

 Liberator

Potato Breeding and Genetics
Department of Crop and Soil Sciences
East Lansing, Michigan  48824

Liberator is a round white chip-processing variety with a medium set of bright-skinned tubers similar in appearance to Norchip.  The primary strength of this variety is its strong resistance to scab (Streptomyces scabies Thaxter) combined with chip-processing quality and high specific gravity.  Liberator was evaluated as seedling number MSA091-1.  The name Liberator was chosen to acknowledge the resistance to scab.

The tubers will chip process out-of-the-field and from 10°C (50°F) storage.  Liberator performed well in the North Central Regional Trials and the National Snack Food Association Trials.  Under irrigated conditions the yield and specific gravity are similar to Snowden.  Liberator has a full-season vine maturity that is similar to Snowden and tuber dormancy equal to Atlantic.  Plant Variety Protection is being sought for Liberator.

A Bt-Spunta line with commercial potential has been identified through collaborative research between MSU and research institutions in Egypt and South Africa. In 2003, MSU and its South African partner, Roodeplaat Vegetable and Ornamental Plant Institute (VOPI) started to collect the necessary data for commercial approval in South Africa with the aim of distributing the best line to potato farmers. Bt potato lines have been tested for multiple seasons, and have been found to be efficacious in the field and in storage. The South African government is supportive of biotechnology applications and has since 1997 deregulated Bt cotton, Bt maize and herbicide tolerant soybean. The benefits of the Bt potato to the farmer and end-users will be reduced input costs (less insecticides used), increased marketable yield, improved quality, reduced post-harvest losses, reduced human exposure to pesticides, and less pesticide residues on potato tubers.