In the June 2013 Badger Common’Tater
Storage Setpoints 
By Mary LeMere, Storage Manager, Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Storage Research Facility, Hancock Agricultural Research Station
Processing Variety Development Update
Variety development is one of the largest components of the research conducted at the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Storage Research Facility. Five research bulk bins were dedicated to studying the storage dynamics of French fry varieties Umatilla and AO95409-1 and chipping varieties Lamoka and Nicolet for the 2012 storage season. Read the June issue of The Badger Common’Tater magazine for the full report on this critical aspect of the Wisconsin potato industry.
Fry test results for AO3158-2TE, W6234-4rus and Russet Burbank as part of the 2012 Wisconsin Variety Trial. The white number indicates the average USDA French fry color rating.
Potato Palooza!
Although Mother Nature hasn’t been enticing us outdoors with her temperatures, that hasn’t kept the WPVGA Promotions Committee on the couch! Each Saturday in May, the WPVGA, the United States Potato Board (USPB) and several growers met up at a different Roundy’s-owned grocery store to promote Wisconsin spuds. Called Potato Palooza, the event engages customers in a conversation about Wisconsin potatoes and vegetables by showing them facts and inviting them to play games for the chance to win cool prizes. Check out the June issue of The Badger Common’Tater for full coverage.
Gabrielle Okray Eck is pictured with a display of potatoes from Okray Family Farms at the Potato Palooza event held May 11 at Copps in Stevens Point.
The bean bag toss is a slam dunk for this little Tater Tot.
These kids had fun guessing how many potatoes were in the container. The highest number this little girl knew was 100, so that was her guess!
AstroTubers: The Latest in Tater Technology
Dr. Raymond Bula (left), Fernando De La Calle and Janina Petrick of CETS are shown with a tray of AstroTubers. CETS (Controlled Environment Technology Systems), LLC, Sussex, Wisconsin, offers seed potatoes derived from AstroTubers that meet or exceed Wisconsin foundation and certified class requirements. The CETS technology is used to regulate the consistent production of seed potato stocks just 8-9 weeks from the planting of cuttings from disease-free tissue culture plantlets. This production system also enables the minitubers to break dormancy in less than two months, which is much faster than typical minitubers which normally take six months or longer. For more details, check out the June 2013 edition of The Badger Common’Tater magazine.
