News on Potato Varieties and Seed from Maine

Maine — Potato farmers depend on Steve Johnson. At least they did for 34 years. Now Johnson, who retired on June 30, is taking his expertise to other parts of the world.

Gregory Porter, professor of agronomy in the University of Maine School of Food and Agriculture, will receive an Honorary Life Membership from the Potato Association of America (PAA) at the organization’s annual meeting in July 2022.

Don Flannery, president of the Maine Potato Board, is not calling it a record year — yet. But with over 80 percent of this season’s potatoes out of the ground, the longtime industry expert said yields are shaping up to be above average.

Two University of Maine researchers, Greg Porter and Han Tan, are part of a team of plant geneticists and breeders working to develop tools that will help Maine scientists and farmers become more efficient in bringing novel, improved potato varieties to market.

The Caribou Russet, a potato variety developed by the University of Maine and available since 2016, sees an increasing market

Farmers, researchers and members of the public gathered at the University of Maine’s Aroostook Research Farm in Presque Isle last Wednesday to learn about the latest in potato research.

The University of Maine has released a new gourmet potato variety, Pinto Gold.

After one of the most unique potato harvests in recent memory, Don Flannery, executive director of the Maine Potato Board, said Wednesday that he felt good about all the industry accomplished this year and was optimistic about year ahead.

The USDA-NIFA has awarded a grant totaling $388,000 to the University of Maine to study potato breeding and improve quality and pest resistance in the eastern United States.

With little fanfare, the Maine Board of Pesticides Control unanimously approved on Friday morning the registration of three new types of genetically engineered potatoes that have been developed by Simplot Plant Sciences.

It’s been more than a year since a new potato variety known as the Caribou Russet was unveiled. But so far, it’s been rather hard to find — getting a new potato onto store shelves isn’t as simple as it may seem.

A little-understood bacteria is bringing back the older potato disease Blackleg and is threatening the reputation of Maine seed potatoes

The University of Maine and the Maine Potato Board have released a new potato variety, Caribou Russet.