This is a final research report from Hort Innovation’s historical archives. Please note that as these reports may date back as far as the 1990s, the content and recommendations within them may be superseded by more recent research.

What was it all about?

The evaluation and identification of (then) new French fry cultivars with improved processing and agronomic characteristics adapted to different production regions of Australia is essential for the French fry potato industry to remain competitive, profitable and sustainable.

New varieties need to have yield and French fry processing parameters equal to or greater than existing processing varieties. Cultivar selection requires the variety to have improved specific French fry quality parameters and show stable high yields. Varieties need to be efficient or require reduced inputs such as chemical and fertilisers to have minimum impact on the environment and reduce the costs of production.

McCain Foods (Aust) Pty Ltd and Safries Pty Ltd in partnership with the McCain growers groups in Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania and the Safries grower group in South Australia along with matching funds from Hort Innovation (then Horticulture Australia Limited) have tested potential new potato lines for the French fry industry over the past twelve months. Trials were conducted in Berrigan, Ballarat, Forthside and Penola.

This project has evaluated and identified potential new varieties for the French fry Industry. Under previous evaluation projects some varieties were selected as potential replacements and these continue to be evaluated.

Further evaluation of breeding lines across production environments is needed to determine their potential for commercialisation. It is planned that this project is continued next season to carry out further evaluation of some highly potential varieties.

Due to unforeseen climatic conditions the Berrigan trial was abandoned in December. Shortly after planting, an extreme thunderstorm saturated the trial site causing wide spread seed piece breakdown. With less then 5 per cent of the trial emerging it was decided to not continue with any further assessments.