In 1993, Robinson's became the North American potato agent for Plant Breeding International Cambridge (PBI), Britain's major breeder of agricultural crops. PBI's Potato Division was purchased by Cygnet PB in 1999, who has continued with the breeding and marketing program. An additional relationship was developed with Stet Holland in 1998.

As good as things are, our people are always looking for a better way.

Cygnet & Stet's scientific expertise, coupled with Robinson's extensive practical field experience, makes for an extremely effective team in plant development. And it's an arrangement that demands a serious commitment. Small scale research and larger scale commercial trials have been conducted at numerous sites in North America. For more details contact: Lori Robinson, marketing and sales.

Introduction to the marketplace of a new variety can take between 8 and 20 years, and involve the screening of millions of plantlets. Currently, Robinson's has a number of varieties moving through several stages of the Canadian evaluation and registration process. At present, there are six varieties at the commercial level of development.

Rocket is an early maturing, round white variety intended for the early fresh market trade - from harvest until Christmas. Rocket has shown great promise in the Maritimes, Quebec and Ontario. In most trial years, Rocket has shown substantial substantial increases in marketable yields when compared with Superior. This is true especially in Ontario, PEI and Quebec during the 1997 season which was characterized by various degrees of drought. Rocket has the capacity to perform as a true early variety if planted very early in the season.

Carlingford and Saxon are mid-season maturing, round white varieties with a very attractive skin finish and shallow eyes. Carlingford produces a high number of uniform, white fleshed tubers per plant. Saxon tubers are bright and have very pale cream coloured flesh. Both varieties are well suited for the poly bag and count box trade. They have been well received by several commercial packing and washing lines.

Navan is a late maturing (similar to Russet Burbank), round white variety that is aimed at the late storage fresh market. Its high specific gravity and encouraging processing characteristics have the potential to make it a suitable variety for chipping as well.

Robinson's is also promoting Sierra, a new, late maturing, yellow fleshed variety with smooth skin and shallow eyes, which has produced a marketable yield up to 50% better than Yukon Gold at a number of trial sites in the eastern part of North America. For the grower, Sierra produces a crop in which 70% to 80% of the tubers are in the 21Ú4" to 31Ú2" range. For the end user, Sierra's baking and frying attributes are similar to or better than Yukon Gold.

New test varieties that appear to have potential include Midas, Boxer, Exquisa and Perfecto. Commercial scale evaluations will be conducted on these varieties prior to release to industry.

To learn more about any of these varieties, click on
Rocket | Sierra | Saxon | Navan | Carlingford