Mountain Gem Russet: a Potato Variety with High Early and Full Season Yield Potential and Excellent Fresh Market and Early Processing Characteristics

Abstract

Mountain Gem Russet is a potato variety notable for having both high early and full-season yields of oblonglong, medium-russeted tubers with higher protein content than those of standard potato varieties. Mountain Gem Russet has greater resistance to soft rot, tuber late blight, growth cracks and second growth than Russet Burbank. Mountain Gem Russet produced greater total and U.S. No. 1 yields than Ranger Russet and Russet Norkotah in early-season trials conducted in Idaho, Oregon and Washington over a 3 year period. In full-season trials conducted in five western states over a 4 year period, average total and U.S. No. 1 yields for Mountain Gem Russet were almost always higher than Ranger Russet and Russet Burbank, with specific gravities averaging between these two standard cultivars. It maintains acceptable reducing sugar concentrations and fry quality when stored at 8.9°C and has displayed a high level of fry color uniformity from tuber stem to bud end providing good potential for early processing. High fresh merit ratings and taste panel sensory scores comparable to Russet Burbank indicate good fresh market potential for Mountain Gem Russet.