Mar 1, 2013Sagar Sathuvalli to lead OSU breeding program
It’s been a whirlwind tour of the potato industry for Sagar Sathuvalli since his appointment to lead the Oregon State University potato breeding program at the Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center (HAREC) this past December.
Sathuvalli said that a major focus of his job will be developing new varieties for Oregon’s markets. Prior to this appointment he was the lead molecular researcher in the Oregon hazelnut breeding program.
Now I can use my molecular resources to help the breeding program,” Sathuvalli said.
The Oregon potato industry is a diverse arena of fresh, specialty, process and chipping markets. Oregon’s growing conditions are just as diverse with the Columbia Basin’s early growing season and intense heat in the northeastern corner and Klamath Basin’s cool, late planting and short growing season in the south central portion.
“The Oregon Potato Commission (OPC) told me they would like to see 40 percent of the breeding program’s emphasis on fresh market and another 40 percent on russet processing type and 10 percent on chipping and 10 percent of specialty potatoes,” Sathuvalli said.
Sathuvalli is taking an inventory of the genetic material at hand in HAREC and beginning the collaborative process with the other members of the tri-state breeding program.
“My long-term goal is to breed potato varieties from a sustainability point of view,” Sathuvalli said.
Sathuvalli’s appointment has growers, researchers and industry leaders throughout Oregon smiling with a combined sense of relief and satisfaction: relief because the position has been vacant for the past two years and satisfaction because of the qualities Sathuvalli brings to the job.
“I’m just smiling ear to ear on this one. I’m one of the few units in the college that has a new faculty member,” said Phil Hamm, HAREC director.
Both Hamm and Bill Brewer, president of the OPC, said that Sathuvalli’s appointment met the combined needs of the fresh market sector and the process sector.
“The fresh market side is very diverse,” Hamm said. “You have a lot of Norkotah growers, those are primarily what we have here in the basin. You also have a bunch of other fresh market growers, particularly down in the Klamath Basin. They grow a large number of specialty potatoes.”
“If you look at the process side, we’re still looking for that Russet Burbank replacement that can be stored very long and produces a quality french fry,” Hamm said.
Brewer said the Oregon potato industry wanted to assess the needs of the industry statewide before they filled the position.
“It’s good for our Oregon industry to have had that time to understand where our potato needs were,” Brewer said.
“I think Sagar is going to be a great asset for our entire industry,” Brewer said. “He’s asking really good questions about what the growers’ needs are and the industry needs are.”
Hamm said that Sathuvalli’s appointment could not have been accomplished without the financial support of the OPC.
“This position would not exist without their support,” Hamm said. “We have really benefited from their support.”
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