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January 10, 1999Gaylord farmer develops a U.S. production standard for potatoesHis research involves gene crossing and growth hormonesBy DAN SANDERSONRecord-Eagle staff writer GAYLORD - Being proclaimed the top potato seed grower in the nation has taken Don Sklarczyk into international markets and even to the heavens. Sklarczyk, who grows between 200 and 250 acres of seed potatoes east of Gaylord, has been conducting genetic research on spud seeds since the 1980s when he took over the family farm from his dad, Michael Sklarczyk . His work in the industry garnered Sklarczyk the seed grower of the year award in 1997 from the National Potato Council. Sklarczyk has pioneered the reproduction of seed potatoes through the use of tissue cultures from the plants. It was the first time someone east of the Mississippi River has delved into the research. "It was basic research at a university level that we turned into applied research and then actually into a production standard that is accepted and required for all seed potatoes," Sklarczyk said. Sklarczyk goes through a series of steps that involves taking six to 10 families of potato plants with most genetic diversity and growing them in the greenhouse until they sprout. He removes a tip from a leaf formation outside of the sprout, which is the growth point of the potato. The tip is placed in growth hormones and grown into a plant. The top of plant is cut and again placed in growth hormones. The bottom is tested for diseases and viruses. If no disease is found, the top of the plant can be cut every 30 days to grow five potato plants in a sterilized mix for at least 90 days. They produce the first crop of seeds used in the field. Sklarczyk primarily works with potatoes used to make potato chips. He looks for potatoes with a high gravity or density, meaning potatoes that have fewer pores so they soak up less oil and cuts down on packaging. "The higher the specific gravity, the less oil the potato will absorb when it fried, so it's not only a healthier product but also one that costs the company less money because oil costs more than the raw potato products," Sklarczyk said. Sklarczyk has also worked with crossing genes in the potato plants in order to trick insects into not seeing the potatoes as a source of food. Some of the plants he has grown, which have been developed by Dr. David Douches, a Michigan State University potato breeder, have been shipped to Egypt where they have to use chemicals to combat moths that eat the potatoes. Even with all the technological advances and research, Sklarczyk said his crop was what he planned for 1998, but it had only 50 percent of the yield on land that was not irrigated. Other seed potato and potato growers in the Gaylord and Elmira had the same results on unirrigated land because of El Nino and La Nina weather conditions. Under normal conditions, Sklarczyk said, it is hard to justify irrigating all of his land because he only uses about 250 acres out of a total of 1,000 acres on a five-year rotation to grow seed potatoes. Sklarczyk supplies most to his seed to Al Walther and Sons, a grower based in Edmore who sells to Frito Lay. Walther also grows potatoes in southwest Michigan, northern Indiana and Georgia, and is expanding into Canada and Mexico. "They are very diversified as far as their production locations so consequently they are the driving force for our activities," Sklarczyk said. Sklarczyk also sells some of his potato seeds and plants to the Cal-Ore Company in California and exchanges information on his work with the Frito Lay research facility in Rhinelander, Wis. In the upcoming year, Sklarczyk will work on a new project involving the use or global positioning system satellites to apply fertilizer and fungicides and herbicides to the field. A soil analysis has been conducted on his fields, which have been broken down every two acres into soil grids that are treated as if they are separate fields. Computer monitoring equipment will record the activity. Sklarczyk also has added a yield monitor on his harvester. Potatoes are even being grown as high as the satellites. Sklarczyk's daughter, Stacy, is a senior at the in Embry Riddle University in Daytona, Fla. where she is studying to be a aeronautical engineer. Sklarczyk said he and Stacy went to NASA to visit with Ray Wheeler, a research scientist. On the space stations, potato plants are grown to produce food, but also to recycle and purify the gray water on the space station. "Once it goes through the plant, it is purified and they can consume it again," Sklarczyk said. |
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