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

Mario H. M. L. Andrade, Rodrick Z. Mwatuwa, Christian T. Christensen, Pam Solano, and Lincoln Zotarelli 2

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.
Figure 1.  Typical tuber and internal flesh color of 'LaChipper' potato variety.
Credit: Lincoln Zotarelli, UF/IFAS

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, https://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 https://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. https://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. https://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. https://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

C

B

A1

A2

A3

A4

A1 to A3

Culls

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

1 Marketable yield: Sum of size classes A1 to A3.

2 Size 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

1 Adapted 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

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

1 See rating system outlined in Florida Rating Code Table (Table 1).

2 Percent tuber defects. HH = hollow heart, BR = brown rot, CRS = corky ring spot, IHN = internal heat necrosis.

*Missing data

Footnotes

1. 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.
2. 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.

Publication #HS1297

Release Date:February 19, 2021

Related Experts

Zotarelli, Lincoln

Specialist/SSA/RSA

University of Florida

Solano, Pamela A.

staff

University of Florida

Christensen, Christian

Specialist/SSA/RSA

University of Florida

Related Topics

  • Critical Issue: Agricultural and Food Systems
Fact Sheet

Contacts

  • Lincoln Zotarelli