The Effect of 2 Soil Fertility Levels on 5 Potato Varieties in Relation to Yield, Specific Gravity and Chipping Quality

The potato enterprise is important in Utah as it provides a cash crop and also a means of diversifying and intensifying the operations on many irrigated farms. It is of particular value in the sections of the state that have a short growing season where other crops cannot feasibly be produced. The potato chip industry supplies a demand for large quantities of potatoes. The usage by this industry makes it a major factor in potato farming economy. The making of chips originated over a hundred years ago as the result of an accident. A silver of potato fell into a kettle of heated fat; the silver was taken from the kettle and found to be an edible, tasty product. Since this simple beginning many attempts have been made to improve the quality of the chip. The potato is the most uncontrollable raw material used in the processing of chips, but selection of varieties and cultural practices aid in overcoming this variable. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of soil fertility on five varieties of potatoes in relation to yield, specific gravity, and chipping quality when grown in northern Utah. A potato that possesses high specific gravity, high yield, and other qualities of a good potato chip, when grown in this environment, would satisfy the potato chip industry and be a profitable crop for farmers in northern Utah