Alta Russet

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GENERAL

• Origin & Breeding: bred from the cross (Russet Nugget x Ranger Russet) made and selected by Agriculture and Agri-food Canada at the Lethbridge Research Center, Alberta, in 1987. Released in 2002.
• Year registered in Canada: 2003
• Registration number: 5656
• Maturity: mid-season

BOTANICAL FEATURES

• Plants: medium; spreading; stems not pigmented; straight single wings; nodes strongly swollen, not pigmented.
• Leaves: olive green; semi-open.
  Terminal leaflets: medium ovate; acuminate tip; cordate and asymmetrical base.
  Primary leaflets: four pairs; narrowly ovate; acuminate tip; base cordate and asymmetrical.
• Flowers: few; blue-violet corolla with a very prominent star; flower buds strongly pigmented, drop readily; lemon yellow anthers.
• Tubers: oblong; russetted brown skin; shallow eyes, moderately numerous, evenly distributed; eyebrows not prominent; white flesh.
• Sprouts: broad cylindrical; red-violet; base lightly pigmented and weakly pubescent; apex green and moderately pubescent.

AGRICULTURAL FEATURES

High yielding variety, well adapted to Western Canada and U.S.A.  Resistant to second growth and hollow heart. In studies, maximum yield was attained at 160 kg/ha of nitrogen without fry colour or specific gravity being negatively affected. Excellent storage characteristics for long term storage. High dry matter content. Medium dormancy (6 months).

Tuber size distribution and shape uniformity is ideal for the manufacture of "wedge cut" french fries.  French fry quality is excellent even when harvested at 95 or 110 days after planting; and is maintained in long term storage.

• Utilization: excellent for french frying
• Chief Market: french fry.

REACTION TO DISEASES

Highly resistant: common scab, verticillium wilt.
Moderately resistant: early blight, fusarium wilt.
Susceptible: fusarium dry rot, late blight.

References:   1.

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