November/December 2019 - 17

collecting and preparing to ship our
post-harvest test samples to Oahu.
Planting is scheduled for Dec. 1, with
reading and testing to begin Jan. 3.
We continue to adjust our testing and
inspection procedures to accommodate
the ever-changing virus expression
and symptomology. This year over
half our seed lots will be serologically
tested for PVY.
This past shipping season, we
inspected 500,000 cwt for grade at time
of shipment. That is the most on record.
- Jeff Axford, executive director,
Michigan Seed Potato Association
MONTANA
This summer proved to be cooler than
average. With mild conditions, there
was very little stress to crops throughout
the state, and growers are reporting
very strong yields and good quality.
Some growers received hail in August
but most crops were far enough along
that yield was not reduced dramatically.
While many other potato growing areas
experienced wet conditions and frost
before the end of harvest, Montana
growers were fortunate to have about
95% of their potatoes harvested before
a severe freeze.
Seed potato acreage has held very
steady over the past 10 years at just over
10,000 acres. In 2019, Montana seed
potato acreage is up slightly to 10,440
acres which represents a minor increase
when compared to 10,355 acres in 2018.
Russet Burbank is still the dominant
variety but is down slightly from 3,921
acres last year to 3,786 in acres in 2019.
Umatilla is the second-most widely
produced variety in Montana but has
dropped from 1,789 acres in 2017 to 1,376
acres in 2019. Ranger Russet acreage is
up from 1,172 acres in 2018 to 1,284 acres
in 2019.
Clearwater acreage continues to rise
and is up from 1,016 acres in 2018 to
1,211 this year. It is now firmly in fourth
place in terms of acreage, displacing
Alturas from the top five varieties two
years ago. Norkotah Russet selections
were up from 997 in 2018 to 1,116 acres
in 2019. Alturas rebounded slightly this
year increasing from 558 acres in 2018
to 623 acres in 2019. Standard Norkotah
accounts for only 41 acres.
Norland and Dark Red Norland
remain the most widely grown
colored varieties in Montana at 110
acres combined. Traditionally, chip
varieties have not been widely grown in
Montana in the past, but are currently
increasing with Atlantic, Snowden and
Lamoka together making up 99 acres of
Montana seed. There are 55 varieties of
potatoes registered for certification.
Montana conducts its post-harvest
test on Oahu, and in the past few years,
has performing additional dormant
tuber testing using PCR. For the 2018
crop, Montana revised certification
rules to require more samples for early
generation seed potatoes.
Sample
numbers were doubled for G1 and one
additional 400 tuber sample is now
collected for G2 seedlot. For the G1
and G2 samples, growers are strongly
encouraged to send one sample to
the lab for dormant tuber testing. All
remaining samples are tested in the
field grow out in Hawaii. One year in,
growers are indicating that they have
benefited from having the early tuber
data and believe that their post-harvest
test results are more representative of
virus levels due to increased sample
Track Inventory and Truck Loads with the
RiteWeight Digital Conveyor Scale system
New Features
* Ability to track by load, fi eld, crop (variety), storage,
and by date. This is quite a few extra levels compared
to the past.
* Optional infra-red sensor displays, records, and maps
incoming product temperature.
* More data storage and transfer options:
1) by copying to optional ruggedized USB;
2) by wireless transfer using Blue Tooth to a nearby
android device;
3) by uploading to the Greentronics cloud server.
* The cloud server may be accessed from anywhere with
valid username and password to view/download/share
bin maps and reports.
Please visit www.greentronics.com or
contact us for details at 519-669-4698
Spudman * November/December 2019
15
http://www.greentronics.com
November/December 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of November/December 2019
