Purple Majesty

Characteristics

  • Shape: Oblong
  • Skin: purple
  • Flesh: purple
  • Market Use: Specialty Markets
  • Medium Maturing
Purple Majesty is an early, medium-maturing, purple skin deep purple flesh potato suitable for the fresh market and processing. It Bakes very well and amkes tasty light purple mashed potatoes. It is very suitable for purple fries and makes beautiful purple chips. It tests very high in anti-oxidants that increae upon processing. Antioxidant levels are simular to blueberries. It was developed at Colorado State University under clone number CO 94165-3 P/P and PVP protection is active. The skin is much smoother and shinnier that some of the older blues. It is quite easy to grow and stores well, but does not take many stresses like hail well. Its main problem is tuber fusarium dry rot.

Plant/roots This cultivar is fast emerging with a medium vine and purple flower. Purple Majesty has a determinate growth habit and a moderate concentrated root system.

Tubers are deep purple fleshed, oval to oblong and smooth with a purple skin color; eyes are shallow and well distributed; Medium specific gravity - 1.083.

Yields potential 400 to 450 cwt. range. It has a smaller tuber size profile and averages around 70% U.S. #1's

GROWING SEASON MANAGEMENT

Pre-planting considerations Tubers have a medium to long dormancy; either single drop or cut seed is acceptable. When using cut seed, be aware of the potential for serious seed piece decay caused by Erwinia bacteria. Fresh cutting seed right into the field is preferable to storing cut seed. Seed may look quite bad at planting, but the plants always seem to come up well. Relatively close seed spacing may help optimize yield and tuber size. Plant seed 4 inches deep with a good hill cover. caused by Fusarium dry rot. Purple Majesty seed will produce a good set and no seed warming is necessary

Fertility (soil test basis; lbs/acre)

Apply total fertilizer in the following range: N(l70-190#), P( 80-200#), K(O-60#). Performance in alkaline soils is good. Pre-plant incorporated N should be from 80 to 100#. Early season N applications do not adversely affect the timing of tuberization. Sprinkler applied N should be in the 30 to 90# range at a rate of 20# per application. Don't apply nitrogen too late for good skin set.

Irrigation

Irrigation interval at the maximum ET is 3 days. Drought tolerance is good. Water use drops dramatically during vine maturation, Water use drops dramatically during vine maturation, so careful monitoring is essential to prevent late season overwatering that will hasten the plants death, but won't usually lead to leak problems.

Pest control

Weeds Competition against weeds is is moderate so goo weed control is essential. Purple Majesty is tolerant to metribuzin.

Insects: Standard insect control measures generally are effective.

Fungicides Control of foliar early blight usually requires two to four fungicide applications in SLV of Colorado.

Tuber/bulking Tuber set is often heavy and small tuber size can result. Tuberization occurs early and tubers bulk at a moderate rate thoughout the season. Tubers are resistant to secondary growth and shatter bruises and moderately resistant to hollow heart.

Vine kill ine kill Average days from planting to vine kill are 100. Vine killing is not always required in most years and if needed can be easily accomplished once mature. Adequate skin set occurs within 21 days. Tubers Tubers do not have much problems with shatter bruise, but can be injured easily so care should be taken in handling. An oxidant or control for fusarium dry rot should be applied at harvest.

STORAGE MANAGEMENT

Purple Majesty stores well as long as they are cured well. Tubers are susceptible to fusarium dry rot so care must be taken during harvest to minimize bruising. Tuber dormancy is long so sprout control is often not necessary. Other tuber internal problems are non-existant

DISEASE REACTION

Overall disease problems are minimal. Resistant to leaf roll and mosaic and foliar sypmtoms are good. Bacterial ring rot foliar symptom expression is moderate and occur 80 to 90 days after planting. Fusarium dry rot can be a problem in storage. Susceptible to leak. Plants susceptible to blackleg, but problems with soft rot in tubers is minimal.
Field Storage
Foliar early blight: Moderately susceptible Tuber early blight Resistant
Verticillium wilt: Moderate Bacterial soft rot Moderately resistant
Blackleg Susceptible Fusarium dry rot Susceptible
Seedpiece decay Susceptible Leak (Pythium) Moderate
Leafroll virus Resistant Pink rot (Phytophthora) Moderate
Leafroll Net necrosis Resistant Silver scurf Moderately Resistant
PVY, PVX Moderately resistant Rhizoctonia scurf Resistant
Bacterial ring rot Moderate Common Scab Susceptable
Powdery Scab Moderately resistant


Disease reaction ratings susceptible, moderately susceptible, moderate, moderately resistant and resistant.

Note: This information should only be used as a guide. Adjustments for local conditions must always be made.