Researchers at Washington State University Target Potato Research (Impact of Canopy Destruction from Simulated Hail on Potato Yield and Economic…

Agriculture Week

Researchers at Washington State University Target Potato Research (Impact of Canopy Destruction from Simulated Hail on Potato Yield and Economic Return)

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Agriculture Week -- Investigators publish new report on Agriculture - Potato Research. According to news reporting originating from Pullman, Washington, by VerticalNews correspondents, research stated, "Insurance against hailstorm-inflicted losses to potato crops is crucial for producer risk management. Insurance providers need regionally specific information on which to base estimates of hail damage."

Our news editors obtained a quote from the research from Washington State University, "The objective of the research reported here was to determine the effects of a range of simulated hail defoliation treatments, low (33%), medium (66%), and high (99%), relative to an untreated control (0%) on yield and grower economic returns from one medium- and one late-maturing potato variety ('Russet Norkotah TX278' and 'Ranger Russet,' respectively) at three growth stages (tuber initiation, early bulking, and late bulking) in the Columbia Basin of Washington. Plants within the 33% and 66% treatments were defoliated by sweeping a garden rake with 16 solid, curved tines through the canopy of each treatment row several times until plants exhibited the desired defoliation level. Tuber initiation and early bulk plants within the 99% treatment were essentially mowed to ground level. Intensity of defoliation and stage of growth had significant, interacting effects on grower returns. Gross return and yield for both varieties at each growth stage were significantly reduced by 99% defoliation; these effects were mediated by the effects of defoliation on tuber size distribution. Total yield and gross return experienced the largest declines at early bulk compared with tuber initiation and late bulk defoliation in both varieties. When 99% of the early bulk foliage was removed, Russet Norkotah TX278 gross return and yield were reduced to 14% and 38%, respectively, of the values for the non-treated control, and Ranger Russet gross return and yield were reduced to 30% and 51% of control values, respectively. Defoliation of 99% at all growth stages significantly reduced overall market yield compared to controls for both varieties. However, tuber size distribution was most affected by 99% defoliation at early bulk. Severe defoliation (99%) at tuber initiation significantly delayed vine senescence in both varieties."

According to the news editors, the research concluded: "The results of this study suggest that insurance adjusters should take into account the combined influence of growth stage and defoliation level when hail damage occurs."

For more information on this research see: Impact of Canopy Destruction from Simulated Hail on Potato Yield and Economic Return. American Journal of Potato Research, 2018;95(1):33-44. American Journal of Potato Research can be contacted at: Springer, 233 Spring St, New York, NY 10013, USA. (Springer - www.springer.com; American Journal of Potato Research - www.springerlink.com/content/1099-209x/)

The news editors report that additional information may be obtained by contacting M.J. Pavek, Washington State University, Dept. of Hort, Pullman, WA 99164, United States. Additional authors for this research include S. Shelton, Z.J. Holden and B.J. Weddell.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-017-9612-2. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

Keywords for this news article include: Pullman, Washington, United States, North and Central America, Potato Research, Agriculture, Washington State University.