This article appears in the July 2016 issue of Potato Grower.
This month’s Smorgasbord takes a look at the Saginaw Chipper, a chip-processing variety developed by Michigan State University and MSU AgBioResearch. Potato Grower appreciates the help of David Douches and Joseph Coombs from MSU’s potato breeding and genetics team in putting together this rendition of the Smorgasbord.
Parentage
Pike × NY121
Strengths
- First U.S. variety with resistance to all three of potato virus Y, common scab and foliar late blight
- Medium yield similar to Pike
- Average specific gravity of 1.083 in Michigan trials
- Medium vine and mid-season maturity
- Excellent chip-processing quality out of storage
- High yield production in the Pacific Northwest
- Durable netted, tan-colored skin and uniformly round tuber shape with shallow eyes
- Creamy white flesh with low incidence of internal defects
- Medium dormancy comparable to Atlantic
MSR061-1 has been evaluated extensively in Michigan in replicated research trials and on-farm commercial grower field trials. It was tested in multiple locations throughout the U.S. in the National Chip Processing Trials conducted by Potatoes USA and in the Snack Food Association’s chip trials.