Chapter 14. Potato Production
Botany and Planting
Potato—Solanum tuberosum, Solanaceae
Table 1. Planting information for potato.
Cultivars
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. The Florida Potato Variety Trial Report is available at https://hos.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/variety-trials/. A summary of the most popular potato clones for Florida is presented below. Key reference: total yield: high >300 cwt/A, medium-high 250–299 cwt/A; medium 200–249 cwt/A; low-medium 150–199 cwt/A. Tuber specific gravity (SG): high >1.075, medium-high 1.070–1.074, medium 1.065–1.069, low <1.064.
1. Chipping Types
Atlantic. Mid-season, high yield, high SG. Mostly round; shallow eye depth; tan skin color; cream flesh; good appearance; susceptible to internal heat necrosis and hollow heart. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1278
Elkton. Mid-season, high yield, medium-high SG. Mostly oblong; shallow eye depth; white skin color; white flesh; good appearance. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1237
Harley Blackwell. Mid-late season, high yield, high SG. Mostly round; shallow eye depth; tan skin color; white flesh; good appearance. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1298
Lamoka. Mid-late season, medium-high yield, medium SG. Round to oblong; intermediate eye depth; tan skin color; cream flesh; fair to good appearance.
Pike. Late season; medium-high yield; medium-high SG. Round to oblong; shallow eye depth; buff skin color; white flesh; good appearance.
Snowden. Mid-season; high-yield, high SG. Round; intermediate eye depth; tan skin color; white flesh; fair to good appearance. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1286
Superior. Mid-season; medium-yield; medium SG. Round to oblong; intermediate eye depth; buff skin color; white flesh; fair to good appearance.
2. All-Purpose Types
LaChipper. Mid-season; high yield; medium SG. Round to oblong; intermediate eye depth; white skin and white flesh; good appearance. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1297
Marcy. Mid-late season; high yield; low SG. Round to oblong; shallow eye depth; buff skin color; white flesh; good appearance. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1277
Sebago. Early-mid season; high yield; medium SG. Mostly oblong; intermediate eye depth; buff skin color; white flesh; good appearance.
3. Fresh-Market/Table Types—Whites/Yellows
Almera. Early-mid season; high yield; low SG. Oblong to long; intermediate eye depth; buff skin color; light yellow flesh; good appearance.
Colomba. Mid-season; high yield; low SG. Mostly oblong; very shallow eye depth; cream skin color and light yellow flesh; excellent appearance.
Coronada. Mid-season; medium-high yield; low SG. Mostly oblong; very shallow eye depth; white skin color and light-yellow flesh; excellent appearance.
Electra. Mid-season; high yield; low SG. Round to oblong; shallow eye depth; white skin and white flesh; good appearance.
Fabula. Mid-late season. Medium-high yield; low SG. Mostly oblong; shallow eye depth; white-cream skin color; light yellow flesh; good appearance. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1294
Francisca. Mid-late season. Medium-high yield; low SG. Round to oblong; shallow eye depth; buff skin color; light yellow flesh; good appearance.
Jelly. Early-mid season; high yield; low SG. Round to oblong; shallow eye depth; cream skin color and dark-yellow flesh; good to excellent appearance.
Malou. Mid-late season; high yield; low SG. Round to oblong; intermediate eye depth; white skin color; medium-yellow flesh; good to excellent appearance.
Natasha. Mid-season; medium-high yield; low SG. Mostly oblong; shallow eye depth; cream skin color; light-yellow flesh; excellent appearance.
Satina. Mid-season; medium-high yield; low SG. Round to oblong; shallow eye depth; cream skin color; medium-yellow flesh; good to excellent appearance.
4. Fresh-Market/Table Types—Reds
Cerata. Early-mid season; high yield; low SG. Round to oblong; shallow eye depth; pink skin color and white flesh; good to excellent appearance.
Chieftain. Mid-late season; high yield; low SG. Round to oblong; intermediate eye depth; red skin color and white flesh; fair to good appearance
LaRouge. Early-mid season; high yield; medium SG. Round to oblong; intermediate eye depth; pink-red skin color; white flesh; fair to good appearance.
Red Lasoda. Mid-late season; medium yield; low SG. Mostly oblong; intermediate to deep eye depth; red skin color; white flesh; good appearance.
Strawberry Paw. Mid-late season; high yield; low SG. Round to oblong; shallow eye depth; red skin color; cream flesh; good appearance.
5. Fresh-Market/Table Types—Purples
Adirondack Blue. Mid-late season; medium yield; medium SG. Oblong to long; intermediate eye depth; purple skin color; purple flesh; fair to good appearance. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1293
All Blue. Mid-late season; medium yield; medium SG. Oblong to long; intermediate eye depth; purple skin color; purple flesh; fair to good appearance.
Michigan Purple. Mid-late season; high yield; medium SG. Mostly oblong; intermediate eye depth; purple skin color; white flesh; good appearance.
Peter Wilcox. Mid-late season; medium-high yield; medium SG. Round to oblong; intermediate eye depth; purple skin color; medium-yellow flesh; good appearance. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1295
The following tables list registered pesticides that should be integrated with other pest management methods. Additional information on integrated management methods can be requested from UF/IFAS Extension horticulture or agriculture agents. A list of local UF/IFAS Extension offices is available at https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/find-your-local-office/.
Table 2. Herbicides approved for managing weeds in potato. Contact: Peter J. Dittmar, UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department.
Table 3. Insecticides approved for management of arthropod pests of potato. Contact: Bonnie Wells, UF/IFAS Extension Brevard County.
Table 4. Potato fungicides ordered by disease and then FRAC group according to their mode of action. Contact: Pamela D. Roberts, UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center.
Table 5. Nonfumigant nematicides for potatoes in Florida. Contact: Johan Desaeger, UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center.
Table 6. Fumigant nematicides for potatoes in Florida. Contact: Johan Desaeger, UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center.
