Michael Goven

The last decade in 38 years of potash studies for potato fertilizers in Maine

SummaryThe results of a 10-year source of potash study indicate: 1) source of potash did not influence yield of potatoes, 2) sulfate and nitrate of potash were equal in their effect on the production of tubers of higher specific gravity than potassium chloride, 3) there was a trend for potatoes fertilized with potassium chloride to produce chips of lighter color than the sulfate and nitrate sources of potash, and 4) the higher rate of potash used resulted in lower specific gravity and a trend toward lighter colored potato chips.ResumenLos resultados de los estudios de 10 años, de fuentes de potasio indican 1) Las fuentes de potasio no influyeron en el rendimiento de la papa, 2) El sulfato y el nitrato de potasio, fueron ifuales en su efecto en la producción de tubérculos de más alta gravedad específica, que el cloruro de potasio, 3) Hubo una tendencia de las papas fertilizadas con cloruro de potasio, para producir ojuelas de color más claro, que aquellas en las cuales se aplicó sulfato y nitrato de potasio, y 4) le aplicación del nivel más alto de potasio usado, resutló en ojuelas de papa de menor gravedad especifica y con tendencia a ser de color más claro.

Effect of storage temperature and size on French fry quality, shrinkage and specific gravity of Maine potatoes.

Summary and ConclusionsLots of tubers of the Greeh Mountain, Katahdin, Kennebec, Mohawk, and Teton varieties were sized and placed in storage at 36°, 40°, and 50° in early November, 1949. In January portions of these lots were changed to higher temperatures of storage. Shrinkage and specific gravity were determined at approximately monthly intervals, and French frying tests were made in February, March and April.Certain varieties rated low in specific gravity were satisfactory for French fries at 50° storage, but none was suitable at 36° or 40°. Reconditioning at 60° or 70° for 20 or 38 days reduced sugars in all lots of tubers sufficiently for satisfactory French fry quality.Shrinkage increased with time in storage, temperature, and size of tubers. Specific gravity increased appreciably with time in storage and slightly with size of tubers.Spraying Katahdin potato vines with 2,4,5-T in August retarded sprouting but reduced the quality of the tubers for French fries, both in regard to sugar content and mealiness. Specifc gravity of these tubers was also lower.

Potato vine killing methods as related to rate of kill, vascular discoloration, and virus disease spread

SummaryThe effect of various vine-killing methods on five varieties of potatoes was studied over the 1948–1950 period.All varieties were killed more easily as they matured. Later-maturing varieties were more difficult to kill than the earlier-maturing.Of the chemicals used, the dinitros and tar acids gave the most rapid rate of kill, the arsenicals an intermediate rate, and cyanamid a relatively slow rate of kill.The greatest amount of discoloration occurred in the early-maturing varieties. With the exception of the rotobeater and hand-pulling, those materials or methods that killed the vines most rapidly tended to produce the greatest amount of vascular discoloration. The amount of vascular discoloration produced by vine-killing tended to increase with age of the plants until the plants were maturing rapidly, at which time there was a decline in the amount of discoloration. No appreciable fading or increase in vascular discoloration was detected in tubers during storage of 5 varieties at 37° and 50°F. when examined in November and February. The amount of discoloration did not appear to increase or fade in Irish Cobbler tubers when examined at intervals of one and two weeks after application of the material.Rotobeating potato vines followed by a chemical spray reduced the spread of the leafroll virus, as compared with rotobeating alone or chemical vine-killing alone.

Effect of tetrachloronitrobenzene (fusarex) on emergence and yield of potatoes. Part III. — Northeast

SummarySeed potatoes of the Katahdin, Kennebec, and Pungo varieties were treated with Fusarex dust containing 6% tetrachloronitrobenzene at three dates in Maine during 1961–62 storage season. In 1962, these chemically treated seed potatoes were planted in uniform tests and compared with seed stocks that had been desprouted once and also with untreated seed tubers. Cooperators in Maine, Long Island, and New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New Brunswick, Canada recorded plant emergence and yield data at each location.Treatment of seed potatoes with Fusarex delayed initial plant emergence of all varieties at all locations except in Maine and Canada where Fusarex treatment increased emergence of the Pungo variety as compared to untreated seed. Total emergence varied by variety and location.Date of seed treatment with Fusarex did not affect emergence significantly. Emergence of desprouted seed tubers was not significantly lower than untreated or chemically treated seed at most locations.Treatment of seed with Fusarex decreased yields of tubers in Pennsylvania and on Long Island. At all other locations yields were slightly better when seed had been treated with Fusarex. No significant statistical differences in yields occurred between treatments at any of the five test locations when varieties and locations were aceraged.ResumenSemillas de papas de las variedades Katahdin, Kennebec y Pungo fueron tratadas en tres diferentes fechas con polvo “Fusarex” al 6% del producto ativo, tetraclorobenceno, durante la estación de almacenamiento. (1961–62) en Maine.En 1962, las semillas fueron plantadas en pruebas uniformes y comparadas e ntre las que recebieron tratamiento quimico. Las que no recebieron y entre semillas almacenadas que tenian sido deshijadas una vez. Cooperativistas en Maine, Long Island, New Jersey, Pennsylvania y New Brunswick, Canada, reuniron dados sobre la germinación y rendimiento de las plantas en cada localidad.El tratamiento de las semillas con “Fusarex” retardó la germinación de todas las variedades, y en todas las localidades, excepto en Maine y en Canada. En donde el tratamiento con “Fusarex” estimuló de germinación de la variedad Pungo, cuando esta fué comparada con semillas no tratadas. Las fechas de los tratamientos de las semillas con “Fusarex” no afectaron significativamente la germinación.En la mayoria de las localidades la germinación de las semillas deshijadas no fué significativamente más baja que la de las semillas no tratadas, o en las tratadas quimicamente.El tratamiento quimico de las semillas con “Fusarex” reducció la cosecha en Pennsylvania y en Long Island.En todas las otras localidades las cosechas fueron ligeramente superiores, cuando las semillas habian sido tratadas con “Fusarex.” En minguna de las localidades, las cosechas obtenidas en los diferentes tratamientos estudiados, fueroo estadisticamente siguificativos, cuando variedades y localidades fueron comparadas.

Effect of date and method of kill on yield, specific gravity and other quality factors of maine potatoes

Under conditions of heavy fertilization and effective disease and insect control, potato vines usually remain alive in Maine until killed by frost or other means. Since yields tend to increase as long as the vines remain alive, growers are reluctant to stop growth until as late in the season as possible. Potatoes grown for early market or killed early to reduce disease spread are exceptions. Most of the Maine crop, however, is harvested before the tuber skins are set properly, and excessive skinning frequently results. The effects of time, method and rate of kill on yield, appearance, and total solids content of potatoes have not been adequately determined. This paper presents results of an attempt to combine these effects on yield, specific gravity, skinning, mechanical injury and storage characteristics of four potato varieties. No published report of the results of combining the above effects in a single study has been found.

Abstracts of papers presented at the Fifty-Second Annual Meeting of The Potato Association of America

F I F T Y S E C O N D A N N U A L M E E T I N G

Influence of source of potash on yield, specific gravity, and surface russeting of the Russet Burbank variety in Maine

SummaryPotassium sulfate and potassium chloride were compared as a source of potash for growing the Russet Burbank in Maine. Yields and specific gravities were not statistically different for the 3-year period of 1956–58 between sources of potash. Sulfate of potash improved the surface russeting of Russet Burbank tubers significantly when compared with potassium chloride. It appears from the data presented in this paper that for improvement of russeting on Russet Burbank tubers, sulfate of potash should be used as the source of potash in fertilizer used to grow the Russet Burbank in Maine.

Abstracts of papers presented at the Forty-Third annual meeting of The Potato Association of America

B A G N A L L , R. H. A N D D. A. Y O U N G I N H E R I T A N C E OF IMMUNITY TO VIRUS S IN T H E POTATO The virus-X-immune potato variety Saco is also highly resistant or immune to potato virus S. We have tested for S-immunity, seedlings from a number of crosses of which Saco was one parent, and also from selfed Saco. Where Saco was crossed with an unrelated seedling, susceptible to both viruses S and X, we found 11o immunity to virus S. Where Saco was crossed with a seedling that, like Saco, was an X-immune offspring of Seedling 41956, a small percentage of S-immune seedlings resulted. The percentage of S-immune progeny of Saco, selfed, was substantially higher. Although the immunity to viruses S and X appears to ,be derived, in part at least, from Seedling 41956, there does not seem to be any correlation between immunity to virus S and immunity to virus X in the seedlings we have tested.

Effect of foliar applications of Chloro-IPC on chip color of Katahdin and Kennebec in Maine

ResumenLa aplicación foliar de IPC-Cloro, en papa de las variedades Kennebec y Katahdin, fueron probadas para su efecto en el color de las hojuelas, gravedad específica de los tubérculos y madurez del follaje de la planta. E1 promedio de 4 años de los lotes tratados y los no tratados, indicaron que el color de las hojuelas fue mejorado y la madurez de la planta acelerada, por las aplicaciones foliares de IPC-Cloro. La gravedad específica de los tubérculos cosechados, sin embargo, no fueron afectados por las aplicaciones foliares del IPC-Cloro.SummaryFoliar applications of Chloro-IPC on Kennebec and Katahdin potatoes were tested for their effect on chip color and specific gravity and maturity of the plant foliage. Four year averages of treated and untreated plots indicate that chip color was improved and plant maturity hastened by foliar applications of Chloro-IPC. Specific gravities of harvested tubers, however, were not affected by foliar applications of Chloro-IPC.