Century Russet

PDF (88 kb)

Click on Image for Larger View

General

• Origin & Breeding: bred by J.J. Pavek, United States Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Services, in Aberdeen, Idaho (USA) from the cross (A6789-7 x A6680-5). Released in 1995.
• Year registered in Canada: 1997
• Registration number: 4628
• Maturity: late

Botanical Features

• Plants: large, upright; stems not pigmented; inconspicuous wings; slightly swollen nodes.
• Leaves: dark green with a bluish cast. Petiole strongly grooved on the upper surface, pubescent, stronger pubescence in the groove.
• Flowers: numerous, medium white corolla with olive green star; yellow-orange anthers, very abundant berries.
• Tubers: oblong, large, uniform; lightly russetted tan coloured skin; shallow to medium shallow eyes, well distributed; white flesh.
• Sprouts: predominantly green, no pigmentation; light pubescence.

Agricultural Features

Very high yielding full season variety. Medium-long dormancy. Medium-high specific gravity. Susceptible to harvest damage. Vines are difficult to kill. For adequate tuber maturity and good skin set, at least three weeks should be allowed between vine desiccation and harvest. Excessive harvest injury (and resultant fusarium dry rot in storage) can occur if tubers are harvested too soon after wine kill. Tuber bulking rate is rapid during the latter part of the growing season and careful attention is required to avoid excessive tuber size. Use low rates of nitrogen and close spacing to avoid oversize.

Good resistance to hollow heart, brown centre and other internal defects. Uniform tuber shape, high yields of count carton sizes, and attractive appearance make it well suited for the fresh market industry.

• Utilization: good for boiling and baking; not recommended for chipping or frying.
• Chief Markets: fresh market, count carton trade.

Reaction to Diseases

Highly resistant: verticillium wilt, PVX.
Moderately resistant: common scab and foliar early blight.
Susceptible: PVY, leaf roll, fusarium dry rot, Erwinia soft rot.
Highly susceptible: tuber early blight.

NOTE: PVY infection results in severe symptoms that significantly reduce yields.

References: 1, 6, 9.

Send your comments to cfia.potatosection-sectiondespommesdeterre.acia@inspection.gc.ca regarding potato variety descriptions.