Dune Russet: A French-fry potato cultivar with high specific gravity under high-temperature growing conditions and excellent processing quality after long-term cold storage

Authors: VALES, M - Texas A&M University; SCHEURING, DOUGLAS - Texas A&M University; KOYM, JEFFREY - Texas A&M University; PANDEY, JEEWAN - Texas A&M University; TOINGA-VILLAFUERTE, STEPHANY - Texas A&M University; JOHNSON, JOSHUA - Texas A&M University; GRAY, CAROLINE - Colorado State University; HOLM, DAVID - Colorado State University; CHIKH-ALI, MOHAMAD - Colorado State University; WILSON, ROBERT - University Of California; Novy, Richard; Whitworth, Jonathan; SPEAR, RHETT - University Of Idaho; SATHUVALLI, VIDYASAGAR - Oregon State University; BLAUER, JACOB - Washington State University; PAVEK, MARK - Washington State University; Feldman, Maximilian; Haagenson, Darrin

Submitted to: American Journal of Potato Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/30/2026
Publication Date: 5/18/2026
Citation: Vales, M.I., Scheuring, D.C., Koym, J.W., Pandey, J., Toinga-Villafuerte, S.E., Johnson, J.R., Gray, C.P., Holm, D.G., Chikh-Ali, M., Wilson, R.G., Novy, R.G., Whitworth, J.L., Spear, R.R., Sathuvalli, V., Blauer, J.M., Pavek, M.J., Feldman, M.J., Haagenson, D. 2026. Dune Russet: A French-fry potato cultivar with high specific gravity under high-temperature growing conditions and excellent processing quality after long-term cold storage. American Journal of Potato Research. 103(4):483-502. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-026-10055-9.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12230-026-10055-9

Interpretive Summary: Dune Russet is a processing potato developed for French fry use by the Texas A&M Potato Breeding Program. It was developed by crossing Premier Russet and a breeding line (A99073-1). The potato tubers are oblong with white flesh and a light russet skin texture. It has excellent French fry quality and converts starches to sugars as a lower rate than some industry standard cultivars. This means that its fries can have a lighter color coming out of low cold storage temperatures even after many months. It does well in high temperature growing seasons and will still produce light fry color despite the associated heat stress. It has a higher specific gravity of 1.090 (compared to industry standards) which relates to finished texture of the fry and the amount of oil taken up in the fry. Dune Russet outperformed the standard reference cultivar, Russet Burbank in fry quality and has good agronomic field characteristics.

Technical Abstract: Dune Russet (COTX08063-2Ru) is the first French fry Russet potato cultivar released by the Texas A&M Potato Breeding Program. It derives from a cross made by the Colorado State University Potato Program between Premier Russet and A99073-1. Dune Russet has oblong potato tubers with light russet skin texture and white flesh. It is characterized by having excellent French fry quality and cold-induced sweetening resistance, producing light fries directly from the field and even after several months in cold storage at 4.4 °C. Dune Russet is especially recommended for geographical areas that suffer from high-temperature stress during the growing season, as it can retain high specific gravities, near 1.090, and produce light French fries despite experiencing heat stress. Dune Russet outperformed the reference variety, Russet Burbank, and other processing varieties in French fry quality, while offering field-based PVY tolerance (no major resistance genes) and good agronomic performance.