Cultivar Corner: Castle Russet has excellent processing qualities
Castle Russet (POR06V12-3)
Parentage: PA00V6-4 x PA01N22-1
Developer: Tri-States Potato Research & Breeding Program (www.pvmi.org)
Plant Variety Protection: Applied for in 2018.
Strengths: Cold sweetening resistance with excellent processing qualities; tubers with reduced polyphenol oxidase activity; high tuber yield and percentage No. 1. Disease resistance includes potato virus Y (PVY), mop-top virus, tobacco rattle virus, corky ringspot, fusarium dry rot and soft rot. Resistant to herbicide Metribuzin.
Weaknesses: Moderate but acceptable glycoalkaloid levels; hollow heart; susceptible to shatter bruise.
Morphological Characteristics
Plant: Semi-erect, medium-sized vines that mature mid to late season. Flower color is white with sterile pollen.
Tubers: Oblong-long, heavy-russeted tubers with higher dry matter content; moderate dormancy (50 to 60 days shorter than Russet Burbank). Typically produces medium to large tuber size profile similar to Ranger Russet under full growing season.
Agronomic Characteristics
Maturity: Medium to late season
Tubers: Castle Russet produces oblong-long, large tubers with brown russet skin. Castle Russet tubers have shallow eyes that are intermediate in number and are evenly distributed. Tuber set is medium.
Yield Potential: High
Specific Gravity: High
Culinary Quality: Excellent
Diseases/Physiological Disorders: Resistant to PVY, corky ringspot and potato mop-top virus; moderately resistant to fusarium dry rot and common scab.
Incentives for Production: Excellent processing qualities.
Management
Fertility: Needs are similar to Russet Burbank. Castle Russet tends to produce higher yields at 350 to 400 pounds N/acre than at low N input.
Planting: 9- to 11-inch seed piece spacing with rows spaced 34 to 36 inches apart.
Seed Availability: Limited amounts of G1 seed available from Klamath Falls Research Station.
RELATED: Mackinaw shows resistance to PVY, late blight
