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V
e g e t a r i a n N
e w s l e t t e r
A
Vegetable Crops Extension Publication
Vegetarian 03-12
December 2003
Print Version
‘Harley Blackwell’ is an internal heat necrosis resistant (IHN) chip potato selection recently released by the USDA. It was tested at the University of Florida’s Plant Science Research and Education Unit during five seasons from 1998 to 2003 originally under the number B0564-8. Production practices followed standard IFAS recommendations.
‘Harley Blackwell’ tubers have consistently been described as having a tan to buff skin color with a netted texture. Tuber flesh color is white to cream. Tuber shape is rated as ‘mostly round’ to ‘round to oblong’ with an eye depth of intermediate to shallow. Overall external tuber appearance is noted as fair to good. Harley Blackwell plant architecture is described as spreading to upright with a good canopy. Early plant vigor (size) is rated similar to ‘Atlantic’. ‘Harley Blackwell’ and ‘Atlantic’ have a similar plant maturity rating. Overall, the tuber appearance, growth characteristics, and maturity rating for ‘Harley Blackwell’ are similar to ‘Atlantic’.
Total and marketable yield of ‘Harley Blackwell’ averaged less than ‘Atlantic’ over all seasons evaluated at the PSREU-Hastings Farm (Table 1). In addition, specific gravity averaged several points lower than ‘Atlantic’ although still in an acceptable range for Florida chip potatoes. However, IHN, a physiological disorder that discolors the tuber flesh, is less in ‘Harley Blackwell’ compared to ‘Atlantic’. This data were supported on commercial farm trials in 2001 in Hastings, FL. On four commercial farms, ‘Atlantic’ averaged 7.7% IHN compared to 0.0% IHN in ‘Harley Blackwell’. Total yield for ‘Harley Blackwell’ and ‘Atlantic’ averaged 330 and 360 cwt/A, respectively (HortTechnology, 2003).
With the reduced yield but better quality of ‘Harley Blackwell’ compared to ‘Atlantic’, it is recommended that ‘Atlantic’ is planted to supply early contracts when yield is important and IHN is less of a problem. ‘Harley Blackwell’ can be planted to fill late season contracts to reduce the incidence of IHN and improve load quality.
A limited supply of ‘Harley Blackwell’ seed is available for the 2004 season through MFX, Presque Isle, Maine. As with all new varieties, seed should be planted on limited acreage to gain information on the variety and to reduce initial risk.
For complete production details and a list of all varieties and clones tested in 2003, visit http://potato.ifas.ufl.edu and click on ‘2003 Florida Chip and Fresh Potato Variety Trial Report’.
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Table 1. Production and quality summary for 'Atlantic' and ‘Harley Blackwell’ (HB) tested at the University of Florida’s PSREU-Hastings Farm from 1999 to 2003. |
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Clone |
Total Yield |
|
Marketable Yield1 |
|
Total Culls2 |
|
Size Class Range (%)3 |
|
Specific Gravity |
|
Tuber Defects (%)4 |
Wise Chip Rating5 |
|||
|
(cwt/A) |
|
(cwt/A) |
% ATL |
|
% |
|
A1-A3 |
A2-A3 |
|
|
|
HH |
IHN |
|
|
|
2003 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Atlantic |
470 |
|
416 |
-- |
|
3 |
|
91 |
54 |
|
1.079 |
|
7 |
4 |
3 |
|
HB |
429 |
|
372 |
89 |
|
2 |
|
88 |
50 |
|
1.074 |
|
8 |
0 |
3 |
|
2002 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Atlantic |
309 |
|
284 |
-- |
|
4 |
|
94 |
47 |
|
1.077 |
|
0 |
4 |
3 |
|
HB |
256 |
|
235 |
83 |
|
3 |
|
94 |
39 |
|
1.076 |
|
0 |
1 |
2 |
|
2000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Atlantic |
378 |
|
342 |
-- |
|
10 |
|
91 |
73 |
|
1.076 |
|
3 |
3 |
-- |
|
HB |
290 |
|
254 |
74 |
|
8 |
|
88 |
48 |
|
1.073 |
|
0 |
0 |
-- |
|
1999 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Atlantic |
398 |
|
354 |
-- |
|
8 |
|
89 |
24 |
|
1.073 |
|
0 |
0 |
-- |
|
HB |
384 |
|
342 |
97 |
|
5 |
|
89 |
10 |
|
1.065 |
|
0 |
0 |
-- |
|
1998 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Atlantic |
398 |
|
366 |
-- |
|
4 |
|
92 |
54 |
|
1.080 |
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
HB |
390 |
|
307 |
84 |
|
14 |
|
79 |
32 |
|
1.072 |
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
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1 Marketable Yield: size classes A1 to A3 2 Total culls include the sum of growth cracks, misshapen, sunburned and rotten/misc. 3 Size classes: C = .5 to 1.5”, B = 1.5 to 1 7/8”, A1 = 1 7/8 to 2.5”, A2 = 2.5 to 3.25”, A3 = 3.25 to 4”, A4 + >4” 4 Percent tubers: HH, hollow heart; IHN, internal heat necrosis. 5 1 = outstanding, no blemishes or color variations; 2 = very good, minimal blemishes and color variations; 3 = good, acceptable blemishes and color variations; 4 = marginal acceptance, high levels of blemishes and color variation; 5 = not acceptable, high blemish and/or color variation levels. |
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(Hutchinson and White - Vegetarian 03-12)
Diversification is the Key to Success for the Last Zellwood Vegetable Farm
Community Supported Agriculture, Agritourism, turfgrass sod, ornamental landscape plants, retail produce stand – five years ago none of these names could be attributed to Long & Scott Farms in Zellwood, FL. The farm was part of a group of 13 family farms producing 30,000 acres of vegetables for the wholesale market on mostly mucklands around Lake Apopka - then came the buyout. The St. John’s Water Management District bought most of the farms and shut them down in an attempt to improve the water quality in the lake. Long and Scott decided not to sell since they farmed upland on sandland that did not impact the lake. They are the last remaining Zellwood vegetable farm.
They have embarked on an aggressive program to diversify and improve profitability. First came the turfgrass sod and woody ornamental additions – both placed in areas that were not the best vegetable land. This segment of the farm replaced marginal vegetable production with 350 acres of turfgrass and 5 acres of woody ornamental trees for the building and landscape market in the Orlando area.
The following season they added the Community Supported Agriculture program. Devoting about 20 acres to bio-rational production methods for this venture gave them plenty of mixed vegetables for baskets either picked up at the farm or delivered to area farmers markets. The first season had 40 subscribers from the area. They are now in their third season with 125 subscribers. The retail market was added to the mix so that subscribers could not only pick up their baskets but buy other produce also.
This fall a new adventure was added to the mix – a corn maze! Open from October through November, the “Let Freedom Ring” corn maze features a statue of liberty with stars and stripes cut into a field of corn. For information, call 352-383-6900 or visit one of the web sites below for more information on the success of Long & Scott Farm’s diversification. Did I mention that this is the only place you can get authentic Zellwood sweet corn now?
www.longandscottfarms.com www.cornmaze.com www.scottszellwoodsweetcorn.com
(Tyson, ext. agt. III - Seminole County, Vegetarian 03-12)
The Organic Farming Research Foundation was founded in 1990 to foster the improvement and widespread ad