Christopher Long

Potato Specialist Michigan State University

  • East Lansing MI

The main objective of the Potato Specialist is to apply research to real world agriculture.

Contact

Michigan State University

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Biography

As Potato Specialist and Director of the Potato Outreach Program (POP), Long serves as the liaison between the Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences Department at Michigan State University (MSU) and the Michigan Potato Industry Commission (MPIC). The main objective of the Potato Specialist is to apply research to real world agriculture. This is achieved through on-farm research and demonstration trials, grower focused informational meetings, and industry directed publications. The Potato Outreach Programs responsibilities include conducting on-farm variety trials, coordinating research with faculty, agri-businesses and potato growers to achieve the application of newly developed technology. The Potato Specialist coordinates the annual research farm field day at the Montcalm Research Center. Long also serves as the coordinator of the B. F. Cargill Demonstration Storage, coordinator of the MPIC Research Report, co-operator in the MSU Annual Variety Day and the project leader in a well logger data collection study. The Potato Specialist serves on the following industry related committees: Storage and Handling Committee, Research Committee and the Variety Release Committee. The “POP” also conducts the national, SNAC-International and National Fry Processing Trials in Michigan. Long is a program manager for the Potatoes USA National Chip Variety Trial Program (NCVTP) and a technical advisor to SNAC-International on potato production topics.

Industry Expertise

Floriculture and Horticulture
Education/Learning
Writing and Editing

Areas of Expertise

Plant Physiology
Post Harvest
Plant Production
Potato
Variety Commercialization
Pathology
Extension

Education

Michigan State University

M.S.

Plant Breeding and Genetics

1994

Thesis: A Microspore-Derived Linkage Mapping Population in Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium L.)

Ohio State University

B.S.

Horticultural Science

1992

News

MPIC partners with MSU Extension for variety trial

Spudman  online

2016-12-29

MSU Extension Presque Isle County thanks the Michigan Potato Industry Commission and Chris Long for the continued work they do to provide northeast Michigan potato growers with variety information to help in future decision-making. [...]

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Journal Articles

Reveille Russet: An Early, Widely Adapted, High-Count-Carton Russet for the Fresh Market

American Journal of Potato Research

JC Miller, DC Scheuring, JW Koym, DG Holm, JJ Pavek, RG Novy, JL Whitworth, JC Stark, BA Charlton, S Yilma, NR Knowles, MJ Pavek, JJ Nunez, R Wilson, CR Brown, CC Shock, CM Long

2018

Reveille Russet (ATX91137-1Ru) is a uniform, medium-early, high yielding, high pack-out, fresh market russet cultivar, with wide adaptability, released by Texas A&M AgriLife Research in 2015. It resulted from a cross of Bannock Russet(♀) and breeding clone A8343–12(♂). Reveille Russet produces attractive, oblong tubers, with medium russeting, white flesh and excellent culinary qualities. It has a lower incidence of internal defects and a higher percentage of marketable tubers in the 170 to 284 g and 284 to 510 g (6 to 10 oz. and 10 to 18 oz.) size classes than Russet Norkotah. Reveille Russet is resistant to hollow heart, second growth and blackspot bruise. It also stores longer and tends to wound-heal to a lighter brown color upon skinning during harvest and/or handling than Russet Norkotah.

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First report of Dickeya dianthicola and Pectobacterium wasabiae causing aerial stem rot of potato in Michigan, USA

New Disease Reports

N Rosenzweig, L Steere, WW Kirk, S Mambetova, C Long, R Schafer, S Dangi, J Byrne

2016

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Missaukee: a round white potato variety combining chip-processing with resistance to late blight, Verticillium Wilt and Golden Cyst Nematode

American Journal of Potato Research

David S Douches, J Coombs, K Felcher, WW Kirk, C Long, G Bird

2010

Previously identified as breeding line MSJ461-1, Missaukee is a round white chip processing potato variety resulting from a cross between Tollocan and NY88 and has foliar resistance to potato late blight (Phytophthora infestans de Bary). This variety has an attractive round shape and mildly netted, bright skin. Seven years of field testing in Michigan indicate that the yield of total marketable tubers in Missaukee is similar to that of Snowden. However, Missaukee has a lower incidence of internal defects than Snowden. Specific gravity ranged from 1.069 to 1.086 in Michigan trials and out-of-the-field chip scores were similar to those of Snowden. Missaukee showed some resistance to Verticillium wilt in 2-years of trials. DNA marker and greenhouse tests indicate that Missaukee is also resistant to the golden cyst nematode (Globodera rostochiensis Woll) pathotype Ro1.

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