Growers Wanted For Washington Commercial Potato Seed Lot Trial

Potato growers across Washington are invited to participate in the 2025 Washington Commercial Potato Seed Lot Trial.  To participate, growers can submit samples of 200 whole (single-drop) seed or a minimum of 50 lbs.  The whole seed potatoes should be only 2-4 oz.; seed over 6 oz will not be accepted.  The sample should represent the lot, so rotten tubers should not be sorted out.  

Sample tags can be obtained by calling the Washington State Potato Commission at (509) 765-8845.  Samples can be taken to the WSU Othello Research Unit:

Potato Research Building
1471 W. Cox Road
Othello, WA.  

For seed sample pick up you can call Rudy Garza or Victor Cantu at (509) 488-3191.  Or you can call the following individual to arrange pick up:

• South Columbia Basin: Tim Waters (509) 545-3511
• North Columbia Basin: Carrie Wohleb (509) 707-3510
• Western Washington: Don McMoran (360) 428-4270

Pick up or delivery must be at least one day before the seed lot planting dates, which are March 25th, April 8th, April 22nd, and May 6th.  Pathologists and other potato experts will visually inspect the seed lot trial on June 10th and June 24th. Plants with seed-borne disease symptoms or other problems, like herbicide carryover, will be flagged.

The 2025 Potato Field Day and PVY Demo will be Thursday, June 26.

If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@townsquaremedia.com