MEEKER | Colorado is best known for its beautiful mountains and exceptional skiing, but did you know it is also one of the top five potato-producing states in the U.S. and the second-largest producer of fresh-market potatoes?
The state has a long tradition of potato farming dating back to the early 1880s, and Colorado State University is proud to breed potatoes specifically for the Colorado potato industry. Since 1975, the Colorado State University Potato Breeding and Selection Program in the San Luis Valley has named 28 potato varieties. The first cultivar, the Centennial Russet, was named in 1976. As the program evolved, the number of first-year seedlings planted for selection grew from approximately 40,000 to 90,000–100,000. Another 19 cultivars have been released in cooperation with other programs.
To learn about cooperative programs with other universities and countries, visit this link.
Market classes of CSU-bred potatoes now include russets, reds, specialty potatoes, and chippers. In case you’re not familiar, chippers are round, white chipping potatoes with high solids and low sugars, which prevents them from frying too dark. These potatoes are especially popular with food service providers that offer fresh-cut potatoes. Some of these varieties are even grown at elevations above 7,000 feet. That means they could grow here! Could this be what we’re looking for? If we need to schedule a farmers’ tour of the San Luis Research Center, let me know.
The Colorado State University potato program is committed to strong, forward-looking research and extension programs that help the potato industry stay at the cutting edge of technology—essential for competing in today’s markets. The primary objectives of this Breeding and Selection Program are to develop new potato cultivars with increased yields while improving quality, nutritional value, disease and pest resistance, and tolerance to environmental stresses. Equally important is collaborating with growers, shippers, processors, and research and extension personnel to assess the production, adaptability, marketability, and other characteristics of advanced selections from the Colorado program.
CSU also aims to provide a basic seed source for growers to increase seed production and conduct commercial testing, as well as evaluate promising selections for possible export. For more information on the overall program, visit this link.
The Colorado Seed Potato Act regulates the distribution and planting of seed potatoes. Any seed potatoes distributed in lots sufficient to plant one or more acres in Colorado must be certified. Colorado farmers already grow almost 60,000 acres of potatoes each year. The state also has the highest percentage of potatoes exported to Mexico in the U.S. The value of these crops is nearly $200 million per year.
If you’re thinking of planting those old potatoes from the back of your cupboard, keep in mind that grocery store potatoes are usually treated with a sprout inhibitor and will not grow in a garden. It’s best to buy certified seed potatoes each spring, which are inspected and fall within acceptable disease limits.
For more information, read CSU Fact Sheet 7.617 Potatoes in the Home Garden and CSU Fact Sheet 0.541 Fertilizing Potatoes in Colorado (available at the Extension office) or call Linda Masters at 970-878-9494.
By LINDA MASTERS
