Separated by nearly 70 years and a couple of generations, J. M. Raeder and Stephen L. Love share common concerns—and goals. In their own eras, they have waged war against diseases that threatened to diminish the quality and quantity of potatoes grown in a state that has become famous for its underground crop.

Even greater distance separates University of Idaho scientists J. Shirley Jones and Edward J. Souza; yet they too are united through a common search for hardy, productive wheat that will perform well throughout Idaho.

Crop science research that is critical to Idaho’s agricultural future is firmly rooted in the history of the University of Idaho College of Agriculture. Plant pathologists were crossing the Katahdin (Maine’s variety of choice) potato with other varieties in 1931, hoping to produce disease-resistant potatoes that would perform well in Idaho’s soil and climate. The Department of Pathology was testing potato seed stock for a variety of diseases, growing trial potatoes in greenhouses from single eyes of a tuber, and shipping healthy tubers to seed growers. They tested nearly 7,500 tubers in 1931.

Above: UI plant breeder Steve Love engages in an endless search for potatoes that can survive attacks by Idaho pests and meet demands by industry and consumers. Photo by Mel Coulter.

Similar research today at campus-based laboratories in Moscow and at the Aberdeen Research and Extension Center in southeastern Idaho is taking part in developing new varieties that can increase yield and withstand a new generation of diseases.

Shortly after creation of the College of Agriculture in 1901, UI plant scientist Jones began studying the gluten content of wheat varieties grown on the Palouse. He took research from the field and put it into the kitchen—enlisting the help of Moscow-area housewives. They baked bread from the milled wheat and recorded the results on a scorecard that Jones provided. Wheat quality laboratories had been established in the Midwest, according to Clifton E. Anderson in his History of the College of Agriculture at the University of Idaho, but Jones was the first to develop one in the Pacific Northwest.

“In some ways, that is the mission of what we do at the University of Idaho—serve all the growers of Idaho, no matter how small their needs may be.”

He also conducted research on the chemical composition of apples and other fruit.
A UI specialist in plant breeding and genetics since 1988, Souza’s charge is to help develop new varieties of wheat. He and Moscow-based scientist Bob Zemetra typically introduce three new varieties every two years, and most of them will have a lifespan of five years or less. Those that gain industry favor might linger up to 20 years, says Souza, who works at Aberdeen.

“In some ways, that is the mission of what we do at the University of Idaho—serve all the growers of Idaho, no matter how small their needs may be. We also try to help growers who have unique or special needs…Be-cause we are a public institution, part of our mission is to serve the commercial industry.”

Indeed, much of the future-focused research and breeding is industry driven. The university works closely with the Idaho Wheat Commission and with private firms to determine desirable characteristics of new varieties. Growers are very helpful, Souza says, in identifying varieties that grow well and in raising issues related to end uses. One-third of the university’s trial plots, which constitute the last phase of the assessment process, are located on private farms.
Wheat was introduced to Idaho in the late 1800s and was first used by homesteaders for their own consumption. Commercial development came the following century when improved transportation made wheat production economically viable. Early in the 20th Century, many small farming communities had their own flour mills.

Several milestones stand prominently in the history of wheat development in Idaho, Souza says:

• Introduction of the Midwest’s hard red winter wheat in the late 19th Century
• Development of canal and irrigation systems in southern Idaho that brought demand for varieties that thrive on moisture
• Development of “club” varieties in northern Idaho, where the only source of moisture is rain and snow
• The introduction of semi-dwarf genes that significantly shorten the plant stalk, thereby reducing lodging and increasing profits

A recent trend places greater demand for special end uses, such as wheat that can be converted to crackers.
Special uses also drive the development of new potato varieties, explains Love, a UI potato specialist and superintendent of the Aberdeen Research and Extension Center. For generations, the Russet Burbank was a staple for processing, French fries, and home-fresh consumption. It remains very popular but slowly is surrendering its vaunted position to potato varieties that make better chips, dehydrated products, and possibly in the future, food-based dyes.

Below: Like most plant breeders, UI’s Ed Souza considers himself a futurist, one who must predict future needs and begin developing wheat products to fill those needs. Photo by Mel Coulter.

The university’s strong support of the Northwest Potato Breeding Program enables industry to meet demands for increased production efficiency and stimulate greater economic return. Unlike new wheats that can be introduced fairly quickly, potatoes are complex to breed, and introducing new varieties is a lengthy process. UI researchers, working closely with industry, have released 10 varieties in the past 15 years. Among their heralded successes is the Ranger Russet, released in 1991, which now accounts for 12 to 15 percent of the potato production in Idaho. It is more efficient to produce and requires less outside nutrients.
About a dozen varieties, out of an estimated inventory of 76, account for 90 percent of the potato acreage planted, Love says. Thirty-four of those varieties are grown in Idaho, along with some experimental types.

“The thing we’re really going to have to watch is the diversification of the marketplace,” Love says. “Every segment of the industry now wants a specific breed that gives the most product for the lowest cost. There will always be new end uses that influence our work and demand changes in the way we operate. That happens a lot already… We’re constantly working on new breeds through superior genetics to improve yield and quality and to give producers an advantage in a very competitive world.”

“…plant breeders are gamblers who try to run the odds. We’ve already cast our lot for what the future will be.”

Recently, consumers have demanded potatoes with high vitamin C content to improve antioxidant properties and low-protein potatoes that are easier to digest for some consumers.
Potato growers and breeders have to contend with more than a rapidly changing marketplace. They also must anticipate—and be prepared to answer—new threats from disease and pests. It’s the same challenge Raeder faced at the turn of the 20th Century when the UI College of Agriculture was yet an infant.

“The reason I became a plant breeder is that I saw it as a way to improve conditions for agriculture,” Love says. “I’m happiest when I see a breed gain acceptance, both by growers and consumers.”

While plant breeding is steeped in the tradition of agriculture, it really is a future-focused endeavor, Souza adds.

“In some ways, plant breeders are gamblers who try to run the odds. We’ve already cast our lot for what the future will be… We’re investing heavily into crops that use special production techniques, such as reduced tillage. The biggest success shown in ag science the past 100 years is the reduction in soil erosion.”

Prospects for the future, despite current market conditions, remain very bright, Souza adds. “I’ve never met a plant breeder who was a pessimist.”
 

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