Publication #HS1297

Topics: Horticultural Sciences | Christensen, C | Solano, Pamela A, | Zotarelli, Lincoln | Potato Varieties

University of Florida Potato Variety Trials Spotlight: ‘LaChipper'¹

Mario H. M. L. Andrade, Rodrick Z. Mwatuwa, Christian T. Christensen, Pam Solano, and Lincoln Zotarelli²

There are several potato varieties available in the market today. Most of them have been bred or developed in production regions other than Florida. The University of Florida Potato Variety Evaluation Program screens new germplasm from public and private breeding programs and identifies the most promising cultivars for commercial potential considering broad adaptability to Florida climate and conditions and market purpose: processing, fresh-market and specialty-type varieties. Over the years, the UF/IFAS Potato Variety Program has become an important reference to vegetable growers, seed producers, processors, crop insurance agencies, and brokers looking for alternative potato varieties to explore different markets, improved characteristics, and yield. This UF/Potato Variety Trials Spotlight presents a summary of the field evaluation of tuber yield and quality performance of the potato variety `LaChipper' cultivated in Florida.

General Comments

‘LaChipper’ is a potato variety that is commonly grown for the fresh potato market in Florida. Under different growing conditions, ‘LaChipper’ is suited for chip processing. It was selected from progeny of a cross between Green Mountain and Cayuga and tested under the pedigree L91-78. It was released by the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, Baton Rouge, LA in October of 1962. ‘LaChipper’ demonstrates high yield and good tuber characteristics compared to the commercial standard ‘Atlantic’. Tuber production and quality results provided in this spotlight are from Florida Potato Variety Trials conducted at the UF/IFAS Hastings Agricultural Extension Center between 1998 and 2016.

General Characteristics

‘LaChipper’ tubers are moderately smooth with a round to oblong shape (Figure 1). According to Florida’s rating codes for potato tuber characteristics (Table 1), the tubers have a fair to good appearance with buff skin color, white flesh, and deep to intermediate eye depth. On average, the marketable yield is 256 cwt/acre, approximately 12% less than the commercial standard ‘Atlantic’, with 83% of the tubers produced found between A1 and A3 tuber size classifications (Table 2).

Figure 1.

Typical tuber and internal flesh color of ‘LaChipper’ potato variety.

Credit:

Lincoln Zotarelli, UF/IFAS

[Click thumbnail to enlarge.]

Season Length and Growth

‘LaChipper’ is a medium-maturing cultivar under Florida growing conditions. Season length is 95 days on average from planting to harvest. This depends on weather conditions during the growing season. The plants should be harvested two to three weeks after vine kill to improve tuber maturation and skin set. Potatoes with proper skin set maintain better skin color, lose less weight in storage, and are more resistant to bruising and soft rot. For more information about vine killing on potatoes, see Potato Vine Killing or Desiccation (Zotarelli et al. 2016). Late in the season, tuber size should be checked regularly to harvest tubers with desirable marketable size. Soil moisture should be managed late in the season to avoid high soil moisture conditions that cause enlarged lenticels and delayed skin set.

Diseases

‘LaChipper’ demonstrates low incidence of hollow heart (1%) and corky ring spot (2%) under Florida conditions (Table 3). It has some resistance to late blight (Phytophthora infestans) and is moderately susceptible to common scab (Streptomyces scabies). Exposure to air pollution can result in defoliation and reduction in tuber yield.

The standard UF/IFAS Extension recommended disease and weed control program described under Potato Production (Chapter 14 of the Vegetable Production Handbook for Florida, http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/cv131) should be followed.

Fertilization

UF/IFAS trial plots are normally fertilized with 200 to 230 lb/ac of N. The first application of 100 lb/ac of N (granular) is typically incorporated in the bed prior to planting, followed by one or two side-dress fertilizer applications at emergence and/or at tuber initiation. Phosphorus and potassium applications follow UF/IFAS guidelines described in Liu et al. (2020) and normally range between 45 to 100 lb/ac of P₂O₅ and 170 to 235 lb/ac of K₂O.

Planting

A seed piece of 2.5 to 3 oz is recommended for planting. The crop should be planted with 40 inches between rows and 8 inches between plants, at 3 to 4 inches deep. A seed rate of 2,000 to 3,000 lb/acre of seed is expected.

Other Information

For additional information on cultivation and weed and disease management, see the Potato Production chapter of the Vegetable Production Handbook, available at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/cv131.

References

Hutchinson, C. M., J. M. White, D. M., Gergela, P. A. Solano, K. G. Haynes, R. Wenrich, and C. S. Lippi. 2003. “Performance of chip processing potato varieties in northeastern Florida.” HortTechnology 13 (4): 706–711. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH.13.4.0706

Liu, G., E. H. Simonne, K. T. Morgan, G. J. Hochmuth, S. Agehara, and R. Mylavarapu. 2020. Chapter 2. Fertilizer Management for Vegetable Production in Florida. Vegetable Production Handbook for Florida, 2020–2021 Edition. CV296. Gainesville: University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/cv296

Miller, Julian C., James F. Fontenot, and W. A. Young. 1963. “LaRouge and LaChipper two new potato varieties released by Louisiana.” American Potato Journal 40 (4): 130–132. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH.13.4.0706

Sisson, J. A., and G. A. Porter. 2002. “Performance evaluations of potato clones and varieties in the northeastern states—1999.” Maine Agr. For. Expt. Sta., Misc. Publ. 751.

Zotarelli, L., P. J. Dittmar, P. D. Roberts, J. Desaegar, and B. Wells.. 2020. Chapter 14. Potato Production. Vegetable Production Handbook for Florida, 2020–2011 Edition. HS733. Gainesville: University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/cv131

Zotarelli, L., S. Sargent, P. Dittmar, and M. Makani. 2016. Potato Vine Killing or Desiccation. HS181. Gainesville: University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs181

Tables

Table 1.

Summary of production statistics and specific gravity of ‘LaChipper’ potato variety grown at the UF/IFAS Hastings Agricultural Extension Center, Hastings, FL from 1998 to 2016.

Year	Total Yield	Marketable Yield¹	% of STD	Standard	Size Class (Distribution by class %)²						Range %		Specific Gravity
Year	Total Yield	Marketable Yield¹	% of STD	Standard	C	B	A1	A2	A3	A4	A1 to A3	Culls	Specific Gravity
1998	391	333	96	Atlantic	12	4	30	40	16	0	86	12	1.068
1999	375	334	88	Atlantic	8	3	64	25	1	0	89	8	1.063
2000	281	245	72	Atlantic	0	17	32	27	26	0	87	8	1.070
2001	297	272	81	Atlantic	0	4	49	38	9	0	96	5	1.072
2002	324	302	92	Atlantic	0	4	43	44	9	0	96	3	1.068
2003	436	321	*	Atlantic	12	9	46	18	15	0	79	7	1.068
2004	344	234	101	Atlantic	17	11	57	13	2	0	72	6	1.074
2005	302	246	79	Atlantic	1	11	77	10	1	0	88	7	1.071
2006	398	337	99	Atlantic	1	10	70	14	4	0	89	5	1.071
2007	374	310	85	Atlantic	2	12	69	14	3	0	87	5	1.070
2008	342	240	111	Atlantic	3	24	67	6	1	0	73	4	1.073
2009	329	248	124	Atlantic	3	16	64	13	4	0	82	11	1.064
2010	367	282	102	Atlantic	3	17	59	16	5	0	80	4	1.066
2011	349	294	111	Atlantic	2	8	67	12	10	0	89	6	1.067
2012	353	274	84	Atlantic	2	6	56	21	15	0	92	15	1.067
2013	317	262	91	Atlantic	3	10	64	11	11	0	86	6	1.067
2014	221	108	47	Atlantic	6	32	62	0	0	0	62	25	1.061
2015	162	109	49	Atlantic	3	25	71	0	0	0	71	5	1.079
2016	178	112	77	Atlantic	4	15	71	5	6	0	81	22	1.063
Average	323	256	88		4	13	59	17	7	0	83	9	1.069
¹Marketable yield: Sum of size classes A1 to A3. ²Size classes: C = 0.5 to 1.5 inches, B = 1.5 to 1 7/8 inches, A1 = 1 7/8 to 2.5 inches, A2 = 2.5 to 3.25 inches, A3 = 3.25 to 4 inches, A4 >4 inches; Size distribution by class: Class (wt)/(Total Yield [wt] – culls [wt]) *Missing data

Table 2.

Florida rating codes for potato vine maturity and tuber characteristics.

Tuber Characteristics¹
Rating Code	Vine Maturity	Internal Flesh Color	Skin Color	Skin Texture	Tuber Shape	Eye Depth	Overall Tuber Appearance
1	dead	white	purple	partial russet	round	very deep	very poor
2	+ -	cream	red	heavy russet	mostly round	+-	+-
3	yellow and dying	light yellow	pink	moderate russet	round to oblong	deep	poor
4	+ -	medium yellow	dark brown	light russet	mostly oblong	+-	+-
5	moderately senesced	dark yellow	brown	netted	oblong	intermediate	fair
6	+ -	pink	tan	slightly netted	oblong to long	+-	+-
7	starting to senesce	red	buff	moderately smooth	mostly long	shallow	good
8	+ -	blue	white	smooth	long	+-	+-
9	green and vigorous	purple	cream	very smooth	cylindrical	very shallow	Excellent
¹Adapted from Hutchinson et al. (2003) and Sisson and Porter (2002).

Table 3.

Vine maturity, tuber characteristics, and internal tuber defects of ‘LaChipper’ potato variety grown at the UF/IFAS Hastings Agricultural Extension Center, Hastings, FL from 1998 to 2016.

Year	Vine Maturity	Tuber Characteristics¹						Internal Defects²
Year	Vine Maturity	Internal Flesh Color	Skin Color	Skin Texture	Tuber Shape	Eye Depth	Overall Appearance	HH	BR	CRS	IHN
1998	*	*	8	8	3	5	6	*	*	*	*
1999	*	*	8	6	2	4	6	0	0	0	0
2000	*	*	8	8	3	5	6	0	0	0	0
2001	1	1	7	7	3	5	6	0	0	2	0
2002	3	1	8	7	3	6	7	0	0	10	1
2003	4	1	8	7	2	6	6	3	0	0	0
2004	6	3	8	7	2	5	6	1	0	0	0
2005	6	1	9	8	3	5	6	0	0	0	0
2006	7	1	8	8	4	6	7	0	0	0	0
2007	6	1	7	7	3	3	7	1	0	0	0
2008	6	2	8	8	2	6	6	0	0	0	0
2009	4	1	6	7	3	3	7	0	0	0	0
2010	7	1	8	8	4	3	7	1	0	0	0
2011	3	*	*	*	*	*	6	0	0	28	0
2012	5	*	*	*	*	*	6	0	0	0	0
2013	6	*	*	*	*	*	6	5	0	0	0
2014	2	1	8	7	3	4	5	2	0	0	0
2015	5	0	0	0	0	0	7	0	0	0	0
2016	6	0	3	3	1	2	7	0	0	1	0
Average	5	1	7	7	3	4	6	1	0	2	0
¹See rating system outlined in Florida Rating Code Table (Table 1). ²Percent tuber defects. HH = hollow heart, BR = brown rot, CRS = corky ring spot, IHN = internal heat necrosis. *Missing data

Footnotes

This document is HS1297, one of a series of the Horticultural Sciences Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date May 2017. Revised April 2020. Visit the EDIS website at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

Mario H. M. L. Andrade, research scholar; Rodrick Z. Mwatuwa, research assistant; Christian T. Christensen, regional specialized agent II, director, UF/IFAS Hastings Agricultural Extension Center; Pam Solano, biological scientist; Lincoln Zotarelli, assistant professor; Horticultural Sciences Department, UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other UF/IFAS Extension publications, contact your county's UF/IFAS Extension office.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, UF/IFAS Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A & M University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Nick T. Place, dean for UF/IFAS Extension.

University of Florida Potato Variety Trials Spotlight: ‘LaChipper'1