Umatilla Russet

Umatilla Russet (/ˌjuːməˈtɪlə/, YOO-mə-TIL-ə) is a moderately late maturing variety of potato especially suitable for frozen french fries processing.^[1] It was jointly released by the Agricultural Experiment Station of Oregon, Idaho, and Washington and the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1998.^[2] 'Umatilla Russet' has been equal to or better than Russet Burbank in fry color in Oregon and regional trials.^[3][4] The potato was named by the state of Oregon^[5] after the Umatilla tribe, from which the city of Umatilla also takes its name.

Potato 'Umatilla Russet'
Genus	Solanum
Species	Solanum tuberosum
Cultivar	'Umatilla Russet'

Characteristics

Botanical

• Tuber skin is tan color and russety-like^[2]
• Tubers are long with a tendency for tapered apical ends^[2]
• Flesh is slightly creamy^[2]
• Leaves are dark green, medium pubescence^[2]
• Few (up to 7) flowers per plant^[2]
• Flowers are light purple with a yellow-orange center cone^[2]

Agricultural

Umatilla Russet is less susceptible to Verticillium wilt than other varieties.^[2] It is also less susceptible to net necrosis and resistant to Potato Virus X.^[2] This variety expresses foliar symptoms of Potato virus Y (PVY). ^[2] Umatilla Russet is less susceptible to tuber infection and decay caused by Phytophthora infestans but more susceptible to blackspot and shatter bruise than other varieties.^[2] Lastly, this variety is less susceptible to hollow heart, brown center, growth cracks and sugar ends.^[2]