NorDonna (Solanum tuberosum)

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ORIGIN: First selected in 1982 from a cross between North Dakota advanced selections ND206-1R x ND821-6R. The cultivars Bison, Norchief and Chieftain are in its ancestry. It was tested as ND1871-3R and was released by the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station on April 28, 1995.

CHARACTERISTICS: NorDonna is a medium maturing dark red-skinned cultivar grown for the fresh market. Plants are medium-large with a spreading growth habit and medium-sized, moderately pubescent leaves having a semi-open silhouette. Rachis and petiole are purple on the upper surface and green on the underside. Stems are green with areas of purple pigmentation especially pronounced at the nodes. Straight wings also are weakly present on the stem. Flowers are medium-sized, with a purple corolla and yellow-orange anthers with good pollen shed. Dark red tubers are oval to round-oblong with shallow and well distributed eyes; tuber flesh is white.

STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES: NorDonna produces a medium-high yield of U.S. No. 1 potatoes comparable to that of Red Norland under dry land conditions, but higher than Red Norland under irrigation. NorDonna has very attractive dark red skin that holds its color well in storage. It has wide adaptability, with a low incidence of hollow heart compared to other red cultivars. Field observations indicate NorDonna is resistant to the US1 genotype, A1 matching type of Phytophthora infestans, but is susceptible to newer genotypes. It also has Streptomyces scab tolerance. NorDonna is considered susceptible to the common potato viruses and most other diseases, including Fusarium dry rot and Verticillium wilt. NorDonna has been noted to be susceptible to early blight tuber rot. Herbicide sensitivity has not been reported.