Yukon Gold

Description
Tuber Shape Round to Oval
Eyes Shallow eyes more on bud side
Skin Smooth yellow
Flesh Yellow
Plant Medium sized upright vine with white flowers
Yukon Gold is an early, medium-maturing, fresh market yellow flesh potato.

Plant/roots This cultivar is fast emerging with a medium vine and white flower. Yukon Gold has a determinate growth habit and a moderate to shallow, concentrated root system.

Tubers are yellow fleshed, oval and smooth with a yellow skin color; eyes are shallow and well distributed; low specific gravity..

Yields potential 400 to 450 cwt. range..

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. Yukon gold seed has strong apical dominace and this may result in few stems and a smaller set. Adequate warming of seed (at least seven to 1 0 days at 65 F) prior to planting is essential to obtain uniform emergence. Relatively close seed spacing may help optimize yield and tuber size. Plant seed 2 to 4 inches deep with a good hill cover. Since Yukon Gold has a relatively fast growth rate, later planting dates may be selected without compromising yield potential.

Fertility (soil test basis; lbs/acre)

Apply total fertilizer in the following range: N(l40-190#), P( 20-200#), K(O-60#). Performance in alkaline soils is good. Pre-plant incorporated N should be from 90 to 120#. Early season N applications do not adversely affect the timing of tuberization. The plants grow very fast with upright vines. Sprinkler applied N should be in the 40 to 60# range at a rate of 20# per application.

Irrigation

Irrigation interval at the maximum ET is 2.5 days. Drought tolerance is moderate. Water use drops dramatically during vine maturation, so careful monitoring is essential to prevent late season overwatering and potential tuber decay caused by Pythium and Phytophthora.

Pest control

Weeds Competition against weeds is good. Yukon Gold is tolerant to metribuzin and post emerge applications of Dual.

Insects: Standard insect control measures generally are effective.

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

Tuber/bulking Tuber set is often light and a few big tubers under the hill can result. Tuberization occurs early and tubers bulk at a rapid rate early in the season. Tubers are resistant to second growth and moderately resistant to hollow heart, growth cracks and blackspot.

Vine kill Average days from planting to vine kill are 90 to 110. Vine killing is required in most years; can be easily accomplished once mature. Adequate skin set occurs within 18 to 26 days. Oversized tubers can be a problem so carefully monitor the crop after the first week of August.

STORAGE MANAGEMENT

Yukon Gold stores well as long as they are cured well with few problems and sprouting is minimal. Early blight on the tubers can be a problem.

DISEASE REACTION

Overall disease problems are minimal. Bacterial ring rot foliar symptom expression is moderate and occur 70 to 80 days after planting. Tuber symptoms often accompany foliage expression. Erwinia caused bacterial soft rot can be a problem in storage if foliage blackleg incidence is high.

Excessive applications of water late in the season can create serious problems with leak. This cultivar rarely has problems with viruses in the field because of low aphid preference.
Field Storage
Foliar early blight: Susceptible Tuber early blight Susceptible
Verticillium wilt: Susceptible Bacterial soft rot Moderately Susceptible
Blackleg Susceptible Fusarium dry rot Moderately Susceptible
Seedpiece decay Susceptible Leak (Pythium) Susceptible
Leafroll virus Moderately Resistant Pink rot (Phytophthora) Susceptible
Leafroll Net necrosis Resistant Silver scurf Moderately Resistant
PVY, PVX Moderate Rhizoctonia scurf Moderately Susceptible
Bacterial ring rot Susceptible
Common Scab Susceptible


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.